Sandown Saturday Preview - 05/02/22

The first event of the afternoon at Sandown is the two mile Novices' Hurdle and we can't look past the favourite Shallwehaveonemore.

Only seen three times in his career, he made his bumper debut in March 2020 when bolting up at Kempton and after that was put away for this term.

Given his hurdles debut when last seen, he went to Ascot in a good Novices' Hurdle where he was narrowly beaten by a smart type for Paul Nicholls in Kandoo Kid, with the third that day Peking Rose since winning a nice event aswell.

Looking to frank the form in Grade One company in the Tolworth Hurdle he had to settle for fourth in heavy ground behind the monster Constitution Hill.

Back to better ground today and in calmer waters, he should get off the mark over hurdles.

A competitive Handicap Chase comes next over two miles and we are going with last time out winner Gunsight Ridge who looks to have turned a corner getting his head in front last time out.

The seven year old was a smart hurdler running five times, winning once on good ground and then placing in all four of his other events.

Sent chasing this term by Olly Murphy, the gelding made his debut at Aintree over two miles running well and then backed that up with a narrow second at Exeter behind the impressive L'Homme Presse, who has since franked the form in Grade Two company.

Gunsight Ridge himself got off the mark over fences last time out when battling well in tough conditions to land a handicap chase over course and distance.

Only 5lb higher today, getting better ground he can back that performance up.

One of the better events on the Sandown card is the Listed Contenders Hurdle over two miles and Guard Your Dreams for Nigel Twiston-Davies has leading claims.

The six year old has been a very smart horse between 2m and 2m4f this term for the yard, making his seasonal debut over the latter trip at Cheltenham in October and winning impressively.

Looking to better that in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot he had to settle for second behind the smart Buzz and rival in this contest Song For Someone.

He then reversed the form next time out at Cheltenham back at two miles when landing the Grade Two International Hurdle in gritty fashion.

Back up in trip last time out in the Relkeel Hurdle at Prestbury Park he was outstayed by Stormy Ireland and McFabulous and the drop back to two miles makes him look very appealing.

The feature race of the afternoon is the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase over 2m4f and strong L'Homme Presse could be very tough to pass.

The Venetia Williams team are in top form this season, as they currently operate at an impressive 24%-win strike rate for the last 14 days, and the favourite for this weekend’s Grade One Scilly Isles Chase has contributed towards that good from this season.

Already a three-time winner this season, including the Grade Two Dipper Chase to his name at Cheltenham last time out, this lightly raced novice chaser looks one of the leading Novice Chasers of the season for us in the UK, only having the seven rules starts, four of them resulting in him getting past the post in front.

He was campaigned very lightly over hurdles, obviously going over the larger obstacles was always at the forefront of connections thinking, and that was a brilliant decision made by them.

L’Homme Presse has won all three of his chasing starts by a combined 29 lengths, and his win in the Dipper last time out at Cheltenham was arguably a career best, making all and not touching a twig when jumping.

He was clearly to much for his other rivals that day as when he was pushed along, he responded superbly and flew up the Cheltenham hill, something a lot of horses cannot accomplish, with that form being franked by Fantastikas winning next time out.

He looks superb over fences, and if he is given an easy time of things, he could take home his first career Grade One, before heading onto bigger and better things later on this season.

The big fielded Grade Three Handicap Hurdle over 2m7 1/2f looks a cracking contest and with so much each way value on offer we have two selections for the event.

Our first pick is the Harry Fry trained Ree Okka who is gelding that is weighted to go well in this event having already showed plenty of strong form this term.

Bought for €60,000 after winning a P2P he was given to Harry Fry and made his hurdles debut in October finishing second to the smart Gelino Bello, who has since franked the form in better company.

Ree Okka also franked the form next time out when winning well in a Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow and last time out improved again on his first try under rules at three miles to land a good event by six lengths.

Given a mark of 130 for his handicap debut it looks very workable and having ran well on good ground before he should handle the surface.

At a bigger price is the interesting Born Patriot for the Irish handler Peter Fahey with the son of Born To Sea getting better this season with every run and last time out on his first try at three miles looked superb.

Having his first run of the season over 2m6f at Navan he looked to blow away the cobwebs in a race that has worked out well with the third and first since winning good events.

Born Patriot also franked the form last time out when a narrow second at Cheltenham in the Class 2 Pertemps Qualifier in October and having been saved since then, it is now time to exploit his handicap mark of 135.

Big each way player.

The penultimate event of the afternoon at the Esher track is the three mile Class 2 Handicap Chase and Kapcorse for Paul Nicholls looks the value in the field.

In November 2020 he was seen for the first time in 18 months in the Peter O'Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase at Newbury when looking like needing the run.

He had another year off the track and returned off a lenient mark of 131 in the same race and this time look to have plenty up his sleeve when winning by close to six lengths.

He has been raised 8lb for that win but if coming on for that first run for a year he can't be discounted, especially having good ground form.

The final race of the afternoon sees the 2m4f Handicap Hurdle and the six year old Peejaybee was an unlucky loser last time out and off only 2lb higher today can go close again.

Winning on bumper debut at Market Rasen in February 2021, he looked a very nice type for Richard Spencer and he was then saved for this season.

Making his hurdles debut over the same course and distance, this time on good ground he went on to beat a fair type for Dan Skelton.

Sent to Huntingdon next time out he was a good third behind the smart Balco Coastal for Nicky Henderson and last time out up in trip he was outstayed by the bottom weight.

The six year old comes here on mark of 122 that still looks workable and should be in the frame in improving again.