Sandown Sunday Preview - 06/11/22

The selection of the afternoon is a tentative one for Paul Nicholls with Halo Des Obeaux looking to get back to form in the 2m4f Handicap Hurdle.

More letters than numbers in his form coming down twice in a row on two of his last three starts when running fairly well, but he does hold big potential.

Bought from France having won well on very soft ground, he finally gets his conditions on Sunday and off a mark of 127 with Freddie Gringell taking off a further 1lb, he looks incredibly well in.

Next up is the Novices' Limited Handicap Chase over 2m4f and Mumbo Jumbo for Emma Lavelle should go close in this one.

Smart hurdler last term when fourth of 17 on his final start of last season in the Grade Three Novices' Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.

He made his chase debut up in trip at Uttoxeter in October when a narrow second to frequent winner Kinondo Kwetu and getting weight off the field that could set the standard.

That winner has since franked the form.

A superb event at Sandown on Sunday is the Maiden Hurdle over two miles and it sees some smart potential runners going to post.

Although we have to give shouts to Matterhorn and Colonel Harry who will turn out to be talented hurdlers, we are siding with Boom Boom for Nicky Henderson, who is regarded very highly.

Third on debut at Kempton in a good bumper in February behind the talented Leave Of Absence who has franked the form over hurdles, he then went to Newbury and bumped into the same horse.

Making his hurdles debut today he has a big future ahead of him but it does look a hot maiden.

The feature event of the afternoon is the Listed Future Stars Intermediate Chase over three miles and with the ground fairly soft we think Fantastikas getting weight could go close.

A good hurdler for Nigel Twiston-Davies, he was sent chasing last term and got off the mark on seasonal debut at Lingfield with ease.

Pitched into the Grade Two December Novices' Chase at Doncaster he was second behind Threeunderthrufive and then went to Cheltenham in January and was a fair third behind Grade One winner L'Homme Presse in the Dipper Novices' Chase.

Back to winning ways at Lingfield in a Novices' Chase on heavy ground, he then went to the Cheltenham festival in the Ultima Handicap Chase and ran a cracker to finish seventh of 24.

Pulled up on his last start in the Scottish Grand National, he is back in an easier event and having a great record fresh and receiving weight off his rivals, he looks the value.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon is the two mile handicap hurdle and the top weighted Gipsy De Choisel looks to have more in the tank.

Seen for the first time last term at the Grand National meeting off 128 when eighth of 16 in a good Handicap Hurdle, but in May he showed his true potential when winning another Handicap Hurdle with ease.

Only on a mark of 130 he is surely better than this mark and the softer ground will play to his strengths having won on that surface in France.

The final selection of the afternoon is the Veteran's Handicap Chase over three miles and although top weight, Lostintranslation if showing of any of his past form should win this event.

A multiple Grade One winner over fences including the Betfair Chase and Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree, he has found things difficult in this last few seasons.

He gave his true running on his first start of last season at Ascot when landing the Grade Two 1965 Chase and having also ran decent race in the Ultima, now down to a mark of 150 he should be winning this.

Time to catch him is fresh.