Sandown Saturday
13.50 Bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase 2m 4f 10yd
Not an easy race in which to rule contenders out and that makes it more difficult to identify value.
Soft ground was a valid excuse for a rare below par run from Inedit Staron his penultimate start here, when also found to have bled, but he wasn’t far behind Greatwood Chase winner Booster Bob at Aintree the time before, and he bounced back to form when third to subsequent winner Sans Bruit in the Red Rum Chase there last time.
Good ground suits Nick Kent’s chaser and, while this is a fairly quick turnaround, he again looks over-priced.
Inedit Star’s best run, arguably, was his staying-on second to Fringill Dyke at Bangor in May last year, where he looked worth a try over further than the extended two miles and a furlong he raced over that day, and this will be his chance to prove that belief correct.
14.25 Bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) 2m 6f 164yd
Gaelic Warrior looked on very good terms with himself when winning the Bowl at Aintree last time and the drop to two and three-quarter miles will suit given his overall profile.
He’s not always been completely reliable, however, and I’m not in a rush to back him at very skinny odds. That said, there aren’t many solid alternatives, so it’s a hard race to approach with confidence.
Everything seems to have gone wrong for Ga Law lately and he’s more likely to pull up for the third time in succession than he is to win here, but there is a potential upside to him.
Ga Law has had an odd campaign since Christmas, running in the Denman Chase on ground too soft for him before a pointless try in the Stayers’ Hurdle. He hated that, but not as much as he hated the Aintree fences in the Topham last time, and I can see why most will give him a wide berth.
On the other hand, what he wants is fast ground and a trip short of three miles at a park course, and he gets that for the first time in ages here. On good or faster ground, his record over fences short of three miles reads 11121222 and, while he looks to have turned a bad corner recently, the fitting of blinkers for the first time may well spark him back to life.
It’s tenuous, perhaps, but those keeping the faith based on the above will be rewarded at very generous odds.
15.00 Bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 5f 110yd
There is no reliable angle into the Select Hurdle, with Lucky Place a token selection against the promising Kitzbuhel.
The pair have disappointed at Cheltenham and Aintree on their most recent starts, but have had excuses, with Lucky Place showing, with victories in Grade 2 events at Ascot and Cheltenham in the winter, that this test ought to be ideal for him and he clearly failed to stay a stiff three miles in the Stayers’ Hurdle last time, albeit not helped by a couple of mistakes along the way.
Kitzbuhel failed to cope with the atmosphere on Grand National day having been made favourite for the Liverpool Hurdle, and his failure to stay the trip was in part due to his inability to relax. A hood will help now, and he should bounce back to make it a fascinating race.
15.35 Bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 99yd
With the ground likely to ride too quick for Energumene and fitness an obvious concern for Il Etait Temps, the hat-trick looks firmly on the cards for Jonbon, who has won this race for the past two seasons.
Mark Walsh takes over from an injured Nico de Boinville, which is the only real concern, with the odds-on favourite not a push-button ride by any means. Walsh is vastly experienced, however, and is sure to know all about the star chaser, so there should be no alarms or excursions on the way.
16.10 Bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase 3m 4f 146yd
Minella Cocooner won this race off a mark of 151 last season and would likely have shown improved form but for a slipped saddle in the Grand National last time, his rider unable to restrain him effectively and the gelding doing a bit too much on the front end.
He faded out of the places only on the run-in, having travelled well for a long way behind Nick Rockett. He did, of course, have Nick Rockett behind him here 12 months ago and the form of that win has lost none of its lustre since.
There is always a worry about how well horses can bounce back from a gruelling race at Aintree, and that tempers confidence slightly, but the overall impression of his effort there was positive and one that made him look at least as good as he was a year ago, with his previous efforts this term geared towards Aintree.
Should Minella Cocooner find this a race too many, Resplendent Grey appeals as the type to pick up the pieces, especially with headgear applied after a rather lazy effort in the National Hunt Chase where he was labouring for much of the way before staying on to grab fourth close home.
He needs to cut out the small mistakes he often makes, but is unexposed as a staying chaser and holds Transmission comfortably on their latest running, with the latter now 9lb worse off for finishing behind him at Cheltenham.
16.45 Bet365 Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 173yd
Ike Sport won this race in stylish fashion a year ago, and has rarely had conditions in his favour since, dropping in the weights through the winter and serving notice that his time was close at hand when a creditable fifth in a big-field affair at Aintree three weeks ago behind Wellington Arch.
Ike Sport is not an easy ride, having once run out, but is ideally served by track and trip when the going is good or quicker, and is handicapped to repeat last year’s easy win in this event.
Inedit Star 1.50 Sandown – 1pt win 14/1 (general)
Ga Law 2.25 Sandown – 0.5pts e/w 50/1 (Hills, 40/1 general)
Minella Cocooner 4.10 Sandown – 1pt e/w 13/2 (Sky Bet, 6/1 Paddy Power – 6 pl)
Resplendent Grey 4.10 Sandown – 0.5pts e/w 7/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power – 6 pl)
Ike Sport 4.45 Sandown – 1pt win 15/2 (Sky Bet, VetVictor)