British preview

YOU can see why Fiddlerontheroof is favourite for this afternoon’s Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown. Winner of his bumper at Navan last March – rider Harry Swan’s first winner in Ireland – when he was with John Joe Walsh, when he kept on well to hold off the challenge of The Big Getaway, the Stowaway gelding finished second behind the potentially top-class Thyme Hill in the Persian War Hurdle on his debut for Colin Tizzard.

Only just beaten by another smart novice in Edwarstone at Wincanton on his second run, when the mere two miles on goodish ground probably wasn’t a sufficient test for him, he looked good on heavy ground at Sandown last time, leading from flagfall and winning easily.

His form is rock solid, he is proven over the course and distance, on the ground over the course and distance, and he represents a trainer who won this race twice in the last three years.

But all of that is factored into his odds, it may be a more open race than the market suggests, and Hang In There looks over-priced at 7/2.

Emma Lavelle’s horse was also trained in Ireland, he finished a close-up second to La Tektor in a good two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in April when he was with Mags Mullins.

Impressive

He was impressive in winning his maiden hurdle at Exeter on his second run – his first run was a write-off – for his current trainer, and he stepped forward from that last time when he kept on well to win the Grade 2 Sharp Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham’s November meeting, a race that was also won by last year’s Tolworth winner Elixir De Nutz.

He made just about all the running that day, and he raced mainly towards the inside of the track, probably on the worst of the ground. He quickened impressively from the front off the home turn, and he stayed on well up the hill.

In the end, he had three lengths to spare over Pacify, who was clear of the rest, but he was probably idling on the run-in. He probably had more in hand than that.

He jumped a little to his right both at Exeter and at Cheltenham, so the switch back to a right-handed track is not a negative. The booking of Aidan Coleman is another positive, we know that he handles the ground and his forward-going style of racing is a positive on soft ground over hurdles at Sandown, where it can be difficult to make up ground from the rear.

This is a really interesting race. Gavin Cromwell’s mare Jeremys Flame ran well to finish second behind Floressa in a listed mares’ hurdle at Newbury last time, when she had Heaven Help Us behind in fourth, while Son Of Camas and Silver Hallmark both have the potential to go higher, but Hang In There could be the value.

Veterans

Shanroe Santos could be the value in the veterans’ handicap chase. Pulled up in the voided London National on his penultimate run, Lucy Wadham’s horse was only just beaten last time in a three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap chase at Carlisle.

He looked a likely winner when he joined the leader Teddy Tee between the final two fences, and he stayed on well close home, just failing to get there, the front two pulling well clear of their two rivals.

That run suggests that he is as good as ever at the age of 11, and the handicapper left him on that mark of 132, which is 5lb lower than the mark off which he finished second to Beware The Bear in a good handicap chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day last year.

He does go well at Carlisle, but he also goes well at Sandown, he battled on well to win a handicap chase there almost two years ago off a mark of 126. The drop back down to three miles is not a negative, and he is proven on soft ground. There are lots of positives, and he is a decent price.

Recommended

Hang In There, 1 point win, 2.25 Sandown, 7/2 (generally)

Shanroe Santos, 1 point win, 3.00 Sandown, 11/1 (generally)

PANEL

Donn’s two recommended bets on St Stephen’s Day both won, Clan Des Obeaux (SP 11/2) and Epatante (SP 2/1).