13:50 Sandown – Silver Thorn
14:05 Hereford – Hypotenus (NAP)
14:25 Sandown – Hardy Du Seuil
14:45 Wolverhampton – Whip Cracker
15:00 Sandown – Charisma Cat
15:20 Wolverhampton – Willem Twee
15:35 Sandown – Dreaming Blue
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
This is always a quality race but there are a lot of unexposed horses in here. The obvious ones are at the top of the market and Paul Nicholls has Belliano who has been laid out for this. He won at Market Rasen last time out but I like the horse that finished second behind him that day – the reopposing Silver Thorn. The Emma Lavelle yard usually start the season strongly and then it dips but that hasn’t been the case this time as she’s having a great season. Silver Thorn may have been missed by the handicapper and he should improve again after his Market Rasen run. The tongue tie is on for the first time too.
I’m all over Hypotenus as he just loves jumping. He’s finished third on his first two runs for Joe Tickle and he’s jumped really well on both occasions at Sandown. Hereford is a much easier test than Sandown and it suits a frontrunner who is a solid jumper. He should be favourite and I much prefer him to Western General.
Plenty of outsiders win this at big prices and I like Hardy Du Seuil. He’s got nothing in hand on the handicapper but is an honest sort. He doesn’t want the ground too soft and he always runs his race. He’s been switched back to hurdles this season and he’s caught the eye on a couple of occasions. Will Featherstone is on board and he’s claiming 7lbs. He’s a course and distance winner and he can be competitive at a big each-way price.
I’m expecting Whip Cracker to run really well for Finley Marsh and Richard Hughes. He ran a couple of big races last year and the form has held up. He needs this mile distance and he’ll be well forward for this race. He will enjoy the surface and his mark of 97 is fair. He’s lightly raced, he’s got plenty of ability and the race shout set up to suit him.
Charisma Cat is a pretty obvious pick. She won her first two starts and that form is useful. She followed that when second at Market Rasen in January and she should have won but the track may have been a bit sharp for her. She should enjoy the Sandown track and her form is good enough to win this.
I’m siding with the best horse in the race in Willem Twee. He was a winner of a Handicap here last season. He’s well suited by a well-run race over 6f but he’s worth chancing over 7f. The James Fanshawe team may just be testing the water but when you consider the way he was running last season, I’m taking a chance on him. He is solid on the artificial surface too.
Dreaming Blue and Hubrisko are the two frontrunners in the race and I’m with the former. The quicker ground won’t bother him and he put in an impressive second at Sandown last time out. He’ll run a solid race and he can make all.
13:50 Sandown – Silver Thorn
14:05 Hereford – Hypotenus (NAP)
14:25 Sandown – Hardy Du Seuil
14:45 Wolverhampton – Whip Cracker
15:00 Sandown – Charisma Cat
15:20 Wolverhampton – Willem Twee
15:35 Sandown – Dreaming Blue
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change.
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