Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Sandown and Newbury on Saturday. View selections below.
MONTREGARD (3.30) skipped last Saturday’s Scottish Grand National due to the heavy ground but conditions will be much more to his liking in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
The end-of-season 3m 5f showpiece has often produced National Hunt theatre and Montregard can give owner JP McManus another notable scalp.
Montregard had re-opposing In D’Or back in third when chasing home The Jukebox Kid at Ascot in January and fourth home Kap Vert gave that form a huge boost when winning the big one at Ayr last Saturday.
Last year’s winner Resplendent Grey is 10lb higher today and a bigger threat should be Sussex National victor Havaila representing Gary and Josh Moore.
Rock My Way appeals as a likely longshot, having finished runner-up in the 4m 2f Midlands National, with subsequent Scottish National second Git Maker back in third.
There’s a box-office renewal of the Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase with Dan Skelton’s THISTLE ASK (2.55) locking horns with crowd favourite Jonbon.
It’s a mouth-watering prospect and the likelihood of good ground just sways the vote in favour of the slightly younger horse.
Jonbon found Il Etait Temps too strong 12 months ago but is seeking a hat-trick of victories in this event. The winner of 20 races for Nicky Henderson (and runner-up in his eight other contests), Jonbon will bring the house down if he can master his six rivals.
He had the measure of Thistle Ask by three lengths in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January when the track was riding soft. That was Thistle Ask’s first defeat in five starts for the Skelton lads and he is taken to turn the form around on today’s slicker surface.
DOYEN QUEST (2.20) can take advantage of a drop in trip by bagging the 2m 6f bet365 Oaksey Chase for Team Skelton.
The gelding found 3m 1f draining his stamina reserves when fourth behind useful Gold Dancer at Aintree, his first start in 82 days.
Doyen Quest romped home by ten lengths at Exeter back in November before twice finding solid yardstick Salver too strong at Sandown and Windsor.
The Moore yard field a strong candidate in Blow Your Wad, successful in a Chepstow handicap chase in early April. That victory came on the back of a rock-solid fourth to Johnnywho in the Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham.
LA LUNA ARTISTA (1.13) is taken to defy top weight in the opening fillies’ juvenile handicap hurdle.
She has picked off three of her four starts this season and was most impressive when powering 13 lengths clear in a Grade 2 at Kempton.
There is a change of code at Haydock where STRENGTH OF SPIRIT (3.45) may be the answer to the one-mile William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap.
Karl Burke’s three-year-old landed the Royal Mile Handicap at Musselburgh three weeks ago and a 4lb rise is eliminated by the 5lb claim of apprentice Jack Nicholls.
Strength Of Spirit is usually held up for a late burst, so his young rider should find plenty of cover from his inside draw.
Tally Ho
Alan
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