Sandown Saturday Preview - 03/12/22

The first selection from Sandown on Saturday is the Gary Moore trained Authorised Speed who made a very impressive debut at Lingfield over hurdles and off the back of his bumper form aswell could be a serious horse this term.

Second on his first two starts under rules last term, the second when a narrow runner up at Ascot in a Listed event. He got off the mark at the third time of asking at Newbury when bolting up.

Sent back over the same C&D in another Listed event he was a fair fourth behind some nice runners and then went to the Cheltenham festival and finished a really nice fifth of 20 in the Champion Bumper behind the superstar Facile Vega in soft conditions.

Showing that the more rain the better for this horse on seasonal/hurdles debut this term, he got off the mark at the first time of asking when bolting up by 15 lengths.

In the race that was won by Constituition Hill last season, he will be hoping to put up a similar performance and looks the one to beat.

Another nice event at the front of the Sandown card is the Mares' Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f and West Balboa for the inform Skelton team could be extremely well handicapped.

Second in a three mile PTP at Dromahane in 2020 she was picked up for 27,000gns and made her rules debut over 2m5f at Warwick in November last year and looked to have bundles of ability when bolting up by 17 lengths.

Seen just once more in her career to date to she was a superb second to Stage Star in the Grade One Challow Hurdle and now dropped back into a handicap off a mark of 127, she could be incredibly well handicapped.

A tricky punting event on Saturday from Sandown looks to be the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle over 2m 7 1/2f and we are siding with the David Pipe trained Sidi Ismael.

Seen twice this season the gelding has been rejuvenated, winning on his first start of the season at Worcester in October in a Handicap Hurdle over 2m7f.

Bumped up 5lb for that win to a mark of 127 he was last seen putting up another good effort at Cheltenham in November when third of 12 behind Annual Invictus and Fontana Ellissi in a competitive handicap.

Raised just 1lb for that run he looks a player in this event if in the same form being a very versatile performer when it comes to ground.

The first Grade One event of the afternoon is next with the Henry VIII Novices' Chase from Sandown and Jonbon for Nicky Henderson is the big odds on favourite and should not be beat.

A £570,000 purchase and full brother to the top class hurdler Douvan, Jonbon was an easy 15 length winner of his Irish PTP and subsequently went on to cosily land his sole bumper start on his first run for Nicky Henderson.

He then marked his debut over obstacles at Newbury, on the back of a 244 day break, with a cracking performance, winning by an eased down six length margin in November this year.

He stepped up in grade next time at Ascot in the Grade Two Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle and again was an easy winner and then sent to Haydock on his prep run before the Cheltenham festival he was a determined winner of the Grade Two Supreme Trial.

His only defeat under rules came at the Cheltenham festival when second behind the superstar Constitution Hill, but he showed just how good he was on his final start of last term when landing the first Grade One of his career at Aintree in the Top Novices' Hurdle.

Bought to be a chaser, Henderson gave him his debut over fences at Warwick on his seasonal debut this term and he looked an improved animal once more when bolting up at Warwick.

He saw off Grade One winner Monmiral and smart hurdler West Cork to win by seven lengths eased down.

One to beat.

Next up is the two mile Handicap Hurdle and if Love Envoi returns in a similar fashion as to how she was last term, she should not be beat off a mark of 139.

Love Envoi for Harry Fry and owners Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate was a revelation last season making her debut at Leicester in December when winning nicely over 2m 4 1/2f.

Seen five more times before the end of the season the mare went on to win four nice events including two Grade Two events, one of them being the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.

Looking to round out the season in a Grade One at Fairyhouse, she bumped into the fresh Brandy Love for Willie Mullins and had to settle for second in the Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final.

Dropped back into a handicap for her seasonal debut off 139, she should not be beat if fully fit.

The feature race of the afternoon from Sandown is the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase and it sees a superb field of six head to post.

We are siding with the Paul Nicholls trained Greaneteen to land back to back renewals of this race and although the superstar Shishkin will be very tough to beat, we feel Paul Nicholls' horse has plenty in his favour to see off the favourite.

Greaneteen is a solid contender for this event having some superb Sandown form and off the back of his weight carrying seasonal debut at Exeter he looks an even better horse this term.

Second in this event on his first try back in 2020, he then finished that season over the same C&D when landing the Grade One Celebration Chase.

Making his seasonal debut last term in the Haldon Gold Cup when not being able to give the weight away, he improved massively for the run to land this event from stablemate Hitman.

Second in the Desert Orchid at Christmas behind Shishkin, he then went to the Dublin Racing Festival in February and ran no race in the Dublin Chase.

Back at Sandown for his final run of the season he made it back to back wins in the Grade One Celebration Chase and a hat-trick of wins over C&D.

Normally needing the run on seasonal debut, he looked fitter than ever at Exeter in the Haldon Gold Cup giving mountains of weight away and he went on to bolt up with ease.

Nicholls can't have him in any better form and with Shishkin, although being a superstar, he does have some questions to answer off the back of his bone disease and last performance at the Cheltenham festival.

Great race.

The final event of the afternoon at Sandown is the London National Handicap Chase over 3m5f and Revels Hill for Harry Fry has the stand out form in the race.

The seven year old was very well handicapped last season finishing second in December off a mark of 122 at Hereford over 3m1f and off the back of that landed back to back races at Taunton.

Given a mark of 137 for the start of this season he ran a cracker on seasonal debut at Ascot when second of 13 in the Handicap Chase over 2m5f, giving a stone away to Your Darling and not being beaten all that far.

Only up 1lb for that second he looks a big player getting back to his preferred staying trips.