Sandown Saturday

1:50 Betway Contenders Hurdle (Listed) 1m 7f 216y

The Contenders Hurdle is more often than not a Nicky Henderson benefit, and while Call Me Lord is not quite as stellar a headline act as previous winners See You Then, Binocular and Buveur D’Air, he is ideally suited to the contours of the Esher track and the prevailing heavy ground.

On the figures, the son of Slickly doesn’t have masses in hand, but his form is unimpeachable, whereas it’s possible that the likes of Eldorado Allen and Quel Destin are a trifle flattered by their best efforts. Certainly, I would give much greater credit to the selection for finishing third in the Imperial Cup off a mark of 160 than by Eldorado Allen’s recent C&D second off 145, and despite the concession of weight, I expect class to tell.

2:25 Betway Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f 10y

The presence of Laurina is a bit of a bonus for racegoers at Sandown, as she was also entered up at the Dublin Racing Festival. She’s not the easiest to weigh up after an abject performance at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day but she had valid excuses there, and that run is almost certainly best forgotten. She had too much speed for the classy Minella Indo on her return/chase debut at Gowran Park in November, and she will appreciate the return to testing ground here.

Of her opponents, I think that both Midnight Shadow and Grand Sancy could struggle with the trip on testing ground. The former won the Dipper at Cheltenham last time, but was leaden legged in the last hundred yards, and needs a sharper test at this trip, while Grand Sancy is even more suspect in regards to stamina having looked best at a fairly east two miles so far.

Itchy Feet has potential, but is taking a big step up compared to Leicester, and the biggest danger is surely Good Boy Bobby, who will probably lead, and is a sound jumper who stays well. He will make the race, and pose some questions, but I expect Laurina’s inherent class to win out, assuming her trainer has her back to her best.

3:00 Betway Heroes Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 7f 98y

One of my favourite betting systems, if it be called such, is to follow the fortunes of lightly-raced novices who are unplaced in the Albert Bartlett (Spa) Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and that method has thrown up winners of at least a dozen subsequent races at the March meeting, including seven Grade 1s. Native River and Paisley Park were both beaten by 53 lengths in the novice event, and time has shown that an absolute drubbing is no barrier to future success, with other big-race winners to emerge from similar beatings including Welsh Grand National winner Elegant Escape, Hennessy winner Carruthers, and last year’s Bet365 Gold Cup hero Talkischeap.

One who fits the bill here is the promising Ask Ben, who was a 26-length 10th in the Albert Bartlett last March and has caught the eye in a huge way on both starts this season. He was fourth in a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Haydock in November which has a history of throwing up high-class performers, with Paisley Park and Sam Spinner the winners in preceding seasons. He shaped like the best horse at the weights there, but pressed on too soon, and was swamped by finishers after a last-flight error.

Ask Ben was again better than the result when second to Goodbye Dancer at Cheltenham in December, getting shuffled back at a crucial stage and unable to obtain a clear run more than once before staying on bet to be beaten just under lengths by the winner, to whom he was conceding 12lbs. That form would have been franked handsomely, only for Goodbye Dancer to fall at the last back at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day when in the process of following up. On a line through that horse, Ask Ben looks very well treated having gone up only 2lbs. He is yet to show all he can muster in handicaps, is open to abnormal improvement, and appears to be an outstanding bet to win this valuable handicap provided he handles underfoot conditions.

3:35 Betway Masters Handicap Chase 3m 37y

Classic Ben was laid out for this race last year by the ultra-capable Stuart Edmunds, landing something of a gamble facing soft ground for the first time over fences. He’s not scored again, but has run to a solid level on all starts, and the patter of his form again suggests that this race has been his target for some time. He meets the 2019 runner-up, Ami Desbois, on 9lb better terms despite beating him a neck, and he had subsequent big-race winners Kimberlite Candy (now rated 150) and Give Me A Copper (147) in third and fourth, so it is a triumph of planning that Edmunds has last year’s winner – only a seven-year-old after all – back for a repeat bid and rated just 1lb higher that he was 12 months ago.

Edmunds deserves a standing ovation for manipulating his charge’s mark so well, and the amazing thing is that Classic Ben has not finished down the field in half a dozen chases to get to where he is, but has made the frame on all three starts, but beaten far enough for the assessor to deem him worthy of a small drop. There are “shrewd” trainers who could learn a thing or six from Edmunds, and Classic Ben is a confident selection to get back to winning ways under conditions which he has already shown to be ideal.

Wetherby Saturday

1:38 William Hill Betting Tv Handicap Chase 2m 3f 85y

Winter Escape is making his debut for the quietly impressive Ben Haslam, and while a move to this yard was deemed a negative for J.P. McManus runners in seasons gone by, Haslam has shown that he is more than capable of rekindling lost sparks at his base in picturesque Middleham, and he has his team in good order, both on the flat and over jumps this winter.

Winter Escape was revitalised by a move to Aidan Howard last season, winning several times over fences, and taking the scalp of A Plus Tard at Punchestown. He was highly tried in the spring, and has run two decent races in valuable and competitive handicaps this winter. In both the Troytown at Navan and in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown he has travelled as if back to his best, but the simple fact is that he does not stay three miles, and he has flattened out late on both those runs.

To my eyes, he is crying out for a return to shorter, and he looks to have a really decent chance in this contest, particularly if he responds positively to the fitting of a hood.

Recommended:

Ask Ben 3:00 Sandown – 1.5pts e/w @ 7/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral, 888Sport)

Classic Ben 3:35 Sandown – 1pt e/w @ 5/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power)

Winter Escape 1:38 Wetherby – 1pt win @ 10/1 (Hills)