Sandown Saturday Preview - 12/03/22

The first race of the day at Sandown on Saturday is the Class 3 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle over two miles and Langafel for Gary Moore should go close seeking a hat-trick.

The four year old was a very average flat horse but since his switch to hurdles has been a revelation, making his debut in June at Newton Abbot when bolting up by nine lengths.

Last seen in August under a penalty he won nicely again and having had a break he should be fresh for this first handicap event with him looking better then his mark of 111.

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 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 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.

The penultimate race of the afternoon sees the Class Handicap Chase over three miles and we are taking a chance on Ofalltheginjoints for Colin Tizzard.

A smart hurdler at the start of his career for the yard, he slightly lost his way before being sent over fences which rejuvenated him.

Making his chase debut he was a good third at Aintree before getting off the mark at Exeter in good style in what was a similar event to this.

After that run he went up to a mark in the 140s and slightly lost his way again, but last time out back down to a mark of 130 he was a solid second at Kempton over this trip.

Off the same mark for this event he has to go close if staying in the same form.

The final event of the afternoon sees the Class 3 Middle Distance Handicap Chase and we are giving another chance to Deyrann De Carjac for Alan King.

The nine year old although not been seen winning since 2019 has seen his mark been creeping down the handicap whilst running fairly credibly and back in this company presents him an opportunity to get back to winning ways.

This season the gelding need his seasonal debut being pitched into the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.

But since that run has been seen back at Prestbury Park on two occasions in similar Grade Three events and has finished fifth both times, firstly in the Racing Post Gold Cup in October and then on New Year's Day.

He did fall last time out at Kempton, but if jumping better overall he looks a great bet, dropping down to a mark of 129 in a Class 3 event having been running in Grade Three events makes him a big player if retaining all his ability.

He is now 8lb below his last winning mark.