Saturday preview: Ross Millar provides a race-by-race guide for Sandown

It’s Cheltenham festival week! The five-day declarations have been published ahead of the greatest jumps meeting of the season and excitement is at an all-time high. 

We have the small matter of Imperial Cup day at Sandown to get through first, however, and Ross Millar has provided a race-by-race guide for Saturday’s card.

1.15 Sandown, 2m juvenile handicap hurdle

Milton Harris surely has the best chance of preventing another Irish winner in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham next Friday, where his unbeaten Knight Salute will aim to uphold British honour. 

I think he holds the ace card in this juvenile hurdle, too, with the tough and consistent Hasty Parisian. He is only rated 107, but this stiff track will see the son of Champs Elysees to better effect given how well he finished at Doncaster and Warwick on his last two starts.

The form of the Warwick race, in which he finished six lengths in front of Thunder Ahead, reads well. And you can excuse Hasty Parisian’s Doncaster effort last time as he was badly hampered by a faller en route to finishing third. Thunder Ahead is now rated 111 and therefore Milton Harris’s charge appears well handicapped. 

Selection: Hasty Parisian @ 3.65

1.50 Sandown, 2m4f EBF Final Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

I was initially quite sweet on Knappers Hill’s chance in the Martin Pipe next week, but his potentially-lenient handicap mark meant he was unlikely to make the cut and Paul Nicholls will send him here instead.

He was an eyecatcher on his last run when he finished sixth in the Betfair Hurdle as he was posted noticeably wide throughout the duration of the race. That ground-losing trip certainly didn’t help his cause and he perhaps lacked a gear change in the closing stages. Nevertheless, he galloped all the way to the line.

His dam, Brogella, finished third in a Hatton's Grace Hurdle behind Brave Inca and his half-sister, Rene’s Girl showed all her best form at trips in excess of two-miles so it’s entirely possible that a step up in trip can see him take his form to another level.

He’s undoubtedly talented as evidenced by his Aintree bumper win last year where he had 143 rated Stage Star behind him. Paul Nicholls has repeatedly stated that he’s prepared to look away from Cheltenham for winnable contests and I think he’s found one here.

Selection: Knappers Hill @ 5.3

2.25 Sandown, 2m Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle

Onemorefortheroad has had a fine season, but he seems at his best when he is able to dictate the pace and a number of these might also want to go forward, most notably Hacker Des Places.

Hystery Bere looked well beaten on his latest start at Cheltenham as he dropped to the tail of the field four furlongs from home, but he rallied well under pressure and finished a never-nearer third.

The form of that race has been well-advertised as the eventual winner, Cormier, defied a 4lb higher mark to plunder the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last week and is now rated 138. Consequently, Hystery Bere’s unchanged mark of 130 appeals. The form of Tom Symonds yard is a worry but I’m happy to take my chance at the price.

Selection: Hystery Bere @ 11

3.00 Sandown, 2m mares’ bumper

Mullenbeg has obvious claims in this bumper as both of her last two victories have received form boosts. However, I think Luccia, who will be in receipt of 14lb, might prove too strong.

Nicky Henderson’s filly impressed me at Warwick when she made a winning debut. She looked uncomplicated and showed a good attitude to plug on powerfully and record a bloodless success by an ever-increasing margin.

The runner-up, Blow Your Wad, looked a certain winner on Thursday before steering issues intervened, but it still points to the Warwick race being a solid piece of form.

Selection: Luccia @ 5

3.35 Sandown, 2m4f novices’ handicap chase

I opposed Fuji Flight in a similar article last week as I was concerned about the health of Venetia Williams’ string. That didn’t work out well, so I’m not going to make the same mistake twice.

Williams’ strike-rate has risen to a respectable 17% over the last fortnight and she can train another winner in the shape of strapping grey, Frenchy Du Large. He travelled like the best horse in the race last time at Lingfield but he failed to stay the extended three-mile trip. He drops back by half a mile here and can regain the winning thread.

Frenchy Du Large has shown winning form on a sound surface at Uttoxeter and is becoming an exemplary jumper. I expect him to enjoy the test that Sandown presents and a mark of 132 is fair.

Selection: Frenchy Du Large @ 7

4.10 Sandown, 3m handicap chase

Flagrant Deltiep arrives here in fine form, but a ten-day turnaround and a 7lb higher mark tempers my enthusiasm. Powerstown Park is a horse that I’ve followed successfully this year, but he wasn’t an easy watch at Hereford last time and will need to be smarter in the jumping department around here.

The horse to beat might be Colin Tizzard’s Ofalltheginjoints, who faced an impossible task last time at Kempton when he was unable to concede 7lb to Flegmatik. Given that Flegmatik bolted up at Ascot on his next start and now boasts a rating of 139, I’d suggest a mark of 130 for Ofalltheginjoints is workable.

That Kempton run represented a marked upturn in form and came off the back of a wind-op. Any improvement would make him tough to beat.

Selection: Ofalltheginjoints @ 5.6

4.45 Sandown, 2m4f handicap chase

Nocte Volatus clearly has an engine and is in the form of his life. However, he has a very low jumping style and that has caught him out in the past. For that reason, given the stiff test at Sandown, I’ll take him on at short odds.

Mahler’s Promise clearly acts well at this track and has two good runner-up finishes to his name this season. They came behind high-class performers Bothwell Bridge and Minella Trump, who is now rated 140. Mahler's Promise was only two lengths behind him when they met (admittedly in receipt of 8lb) and almost certainly would have been closer but for a slipping saddle.

He likes a sound surface and should make his presence felt off a mark of just 125.

Selection: Mahler's Promise

Recommended bets:

Hasty Parisian @ 3.65
Knappers Hill @ 5.3
Hystery Bere @ 11
Luccia @ 5
Frenchy Du Large @ 7
Ofalltheginjoints @ 5.6
Mahler’s Promise