ITV Racing Saturday Preview - 12/03/22

The first race of the afternoon on ITV this weekend is the Class 2 Handicap over six furlongs at Wolverhampton and Zarzyni for David Barron should go close.

The five year old has been in electric from of late, winning over six furlongs at Redcar in July and then over five and six furlongs at Southwell on his last three runs he has finished second in all of them.

His latest second at the Nottinghamshire track was behind a nice type for Kevin Ryan and now back up to his preferred trip off only 1lb higher he should go close.

Drawn well.

One of the better races on the Sandown card is the Grade Three Handicap Hurdle Final over 2m 3 1/2f and at the prices Marble Sands for Fergal O'Brien looks big value.

With plenty of runners in the field he screams the each way value, having ran well in defeat all season and his current mark gives him a big opportunity to get off the mark.

He was a smart bumper horse winning one of his four runs with his win coming at Ascot in a good event.

This season he was sent hurdling by Fergal O’Brien and in his three runs has shown big ability, finishing a length second on debut behind Milan Bridge for Paul Nicholls and then finished a close up third behind another nice type for Nicholls in Mr Glass, who went on to run in Grade One company.

Marble sands was last seen at Taunton finishing another close up second behind Kingofthewest who he takes on again in this but this time is better off at the weights.

Paddy Brennan rides and is in great form running at a 24% strike rate and off a mark of 119 looks like he could run a big race at a nice price, getting plenty of weight off most of the field, he could run a big race.

The Class 2 Lincoln Trial Handicap over 8.5 furlongs comes next and the value in the field comes from Hafeet Alain for inform trainer Ed Walker.

The six year old has form figures of 2231 in his last four runs, with his win last time out coming over a mile at Lingfield when seeing off a nice horse for Archie Watson.

Only 4lb higher for this event with Richard Kingscote in the saddle, he should be in the frame again if staying on his upward curve.

Both trainer and jockey are in decent form running at 20% and 21% strike rates respectively.

The feature race of the afternoon at Sandown is the Grade Three Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle over two miles and we can't look past the favourite Balco Coastal.

The six year old has always been thought of highly at Seven Barrows, finishing second in a PTP in December 2020 to Gentlemansgame, who has turned out to be a nice horse for Mouse Morris.

Given to Henderson after being bought for £100,000, he won a nice bumper on rules debut, bolting up by 17 lengths and then went to Aintree for the Grade Two Bumper and finished a fair seventh of 18 behind the likes of Stage Star and Knappers Hill.

Sent hurdling this term he has been seen three times over obstacles and looked very impressive on his first two runs, winning on debut at Huntingdon in taking style and was then gritty next time out at Ludlow, with the second that day since winning well.

He then stepped up in trip last time out at Cheltenham in the Grade Two Ballymore Novices' Hurdle in January and was out battled finishing second.

The winner that day North Lodge has since gone on to be beaten in another Grade Two at Kelso, with Hillcrest also falling that day and since winning a nice race at Haydock.

Making his handicap debut off a mark of 134, going back down to his optimal two miles, this contest looks set up for him.

The final event of the afternoon from Wolves is there feature event on the day with the Listed Wulfruna Stakes over seven furlongs seeing some familiar faces head to post.

We are siding with the progressive Misty Grey for Tom Dascombe who has a 100% record at the track racing four times and winning all of them between 7f and 6f.

On Boxing Day he won a decent handicap event over course and distance giving close to a stone away to Ayr Harbour who he opposes again now off level weights and then last time out Kempton was a solid second over a mile behind a horse who landed a four timer.

7f is his trip and he is highly consistent at this track, so he should go close if being able to cut it at Listed level.

The Listed Mares Bumper over two miles sees a stellar field of big potential talents go to post but we can't look past the Milton Harris trained Mullenbeg.

This five year old has done very little wrong under rules during her career, making her rules debut at Ludlow on soft ground when winning by just over six lengths and then last time out backed that run up at Cheltenham to make it back to wins when taking the rearranged Listed Alan Swinbank Mares Bumper in very impressive style.

She sets the form standard in a big way and if improving again could be very tough to beat.

It is quite interesting the team have sent her here and looking like sidestepping the Cheltenham festival with her also entered in the Champion Bumper, big chance.

Another nice event at Sandown on Saturday afternoon is the Listed Novices' Handicap Chase and Danny Kirwan could be the class act in the field.

The nine year old looks to be very well handicapped off a mark of 132 coming into this event, having been a fair hurdler and has taken to chasing well this term.

On his final start last term the gelding landed the second victory of his career over hurdles when taking out a Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton over 2m5f.

Switched to the bigger obstacles this term he was seen getting better and better the further the race went on seasonal debut and ultimately he finished a three lengths second to a next time out winner in Annual Invictus.

He then went to Kempton on boxing day and finished a fair fourth in a decent handicap event, but last time out was given a real confidence booster at Wincanton when bolting up by 10 lengths in a Novices' Chase.

Dropped 1lb from his Kempton run, he looks to have been placed well again by Nicholls and if jumping aswell as he did last time out, he should go close.