1.25pm Sandown
Soft ground on the hurdle course at Sandown for today’s feature meeting but good ground on the chase course at the time of writing, although there was rain due.
The 2m 4f novices handicap chase is a cracker, with Hudson De Grugy of interest making his chase debut for Gary Moore, who has had a couple of welcome winners in recent days.
Git Maker has the size and scope to make a chaser, is best going right-handed and will enjoy the forecast soft ground. He represents the inform Jamie Snowden yard and is one to keep on side this winter.
I cannot desert MUMBO JUMBO, however, having run such a good race on chase debut at Uttoxeter, albeit no match for Kinondo Kwetu, who has since won again at Aintree and is now rated 13lbs higher in the weights. Emma Lavelle’s novice remains a maiden after seven starts, but he has run some excellent races in defeat, so soft ground holds no terrors. He has been put in at 7/4, but it is such a deep race that I feel there will be plenty of 2/1 and bigger about on Sunday.
2.35pm Sandown
Pic D’Orhy has never struck me as a three miler, but he is well worth a try at the distance, and if he stays, he will land the Future Stars Intermediate chase, but he is odds on and might be worth opposing at the odds.
FANTASTIKAS has a very good record fresh, enjoys soft ground, winner at Lingfield on heavy, and he gets the vote, although he would be better off at the weights if this were a handicap. If this race develops into a slog that might suit the Twiston-Davies horse more than the favourite, who is certainly not guaranteed to get the trip on breeding.
3.35pm Sandown
Granted genuine good ground, I think Lostintranslation has an outstanding chance in the Veterans’ Chase, having been rerouted from Aintree and the Grand Sefton over the National fences. That said, the Met Office do suggest there will be plenty of rain at the Esher track, and he may struggle to give 13lbs to RAMSES DE TEILLEE, who was not at his best last season but has an excellent record fresh, and David Pipe has given him a wind operation since running poorly at Taunton back in January.
The grey starts this season 10lbs lower in the weights, will enjoy the forecast rain but has never won going right-handed. David Pipe had a quiet time of things in recent weeks but has bounced back with a couple of winners this week. He gets the each-way vote.
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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