Sandown Saturday Preview - 13/03/21

The first selection of the day from Sandown on Saturday sees us side with Gary Moore with Hudson De Grugy in the two mile Juvenile Handicap.

The field has been whittled down to six runners and although it leaves our pick at the top of the weights, he offers more class than the rest of the runners.

This season the four year was given to Moore having been bought after running on the flat in France and on both his starts at Sandown he has showed bundles of ability.

He made his British debut over course and distance in December and finished a god second behind Elham Valley for Fergal O'Brien.

He then backed that up next time out on heavy ground at Sandown again if improving again for the better ground will be hard to beat.

The first big race of the day at Sandown is the Grade Three Novices' Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f and at a double figure price, Patroclus for Nicky Henderson is a big player.

The five year old has been extremely consistent for the Seven Barrows yard during his career, finishing second in a point to point in March last year in Ireland and has been sent over hurdles this term.

He has ran three times to a high standard, making his debut at Warwick when a good second to the impressive Jay Bee Why for Alan King, who has since franked the form.

Patroclus also franked that form line when getting off the mark at the second time of asking at Exeter in a two mile event and the third that day has since gone out and won.

The son of Shirocco was last seen at Doncaster at the end of February over 2m3f and in gritty fashion he managed to stay on well to land the win from two smart horses in Riggs and Jeremy Pass.

His form heading into this event looks solid and only up 5lb for that win makes him a big player at 10/1.

The feature race at the Esher track is the Grade Three Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle and the horse that takes the eye is Natural History for Gary Moore.

The current 3/1 shot for the race looks to be an extremely nice price at this stage and will only get shorter before the off with non runners.

The six year old gelding is weighted to have a big say in the two mile event having been a smart horse on the flat and then this season been sent over hurdles and taken to them really well.

He made his hurdles debut in January at Plumpton over two miles and finished a good second on soft ground behind a nice type for David Pipe.

He then went to Wincanton and again had to settle for second behind Lucky One for Paul Nicholls who has since gone and mixed it in better company.

Natural History finally got off the mark last time out back at Plumpton over two miles, when getting his preferred good ground and going on to hose up by 15 lengths.

He is fairly well treated in the weights jumping into his first handicap event on Saturday and getting his quicker conditions can see him go close again.

The Listed Mares Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race over two miles looks a superb contest and the horse that takes the eye is the Jedd O'Keefe trained Miss Lamb.

The five year old has not done a lot wrong during her career, making her debut back in January 2020 at Newcastle in a bumper and easing to victory by close to four lengths.

She was not seen again that term, but was bought back at Wetherby in November and after some time off the track ran a cracker to win another Mares bumper.

Going for the hat-trick at Market Rasen in January she finished second behind the highly talented Eileendover and that looks the strongest form in the race, getting 4lb off the favourite.

The penultimate selection on the Sandown card from us comes in the Listed Novices' Handicap Chase over 2m4f and Admiral Barratry for Lucy Wadham could be a big player.

The eight year old has been seen three times this season, having not raced since April 2019 and she has put up three smart performances.

Having needed the run on chase debut in December at Doncaster, he then went to Fakenham over 2m5f and got off the mark in fine style, seeing off Corrany for Nicky Henderson who landed a Beginners Chase on Sunday to frank the form.

Admiral Barratry went up 5lb for that win and managed to finish a good second over the same course and distance last time out and although up another 4lb for that run he still gets weight off most of the field and that makes him one to watch if staying on this improving curve.

With no bet in the second race of the day, we move straight on to the final event and it sees a 2m4f Handicap Chase and Five Star Getaway for Christian Williams looks weighted to have a big say.

Down at the bottom of the weights on a mark of 105 makes him extremely dangerous in this field having showed clear ability on both his chase starts this term.

The seven year old made his chase debut at Warwick in November over two miles behind the likes of Allmankind and Zanza who have both gone on to win decent races since.

Williams upped his gelding in trip for his last start at Wincanton and it worked a treat seeing him get off the mark for the season when beating Baignard over 2m4f by six lengths.

He is up 11lb for that run but still looks on a workable mark and should give a bold showing getting weight off the rest of the field.