Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Sandown, Aintree and Chepstow on Saturday. View selections below.
KNICKERBOCKERGLORY (2.25) can rack up another victory for Dan and Harry Skelton in the two-mile Betfair-sponsored hurdle at Sandown.
Despite being off the track for 230 days the gelding goes well fresh and he made a winning reappearance when mopping up this event 12 months ago by a comfortable eight lengths. A 6lb higher mark isn’t unreasonable.
My selection has ground to make up with both Go Dante and Afadil on Imperial Cup form but the track was riding much quicker when they met last March. Much softer terrain will benefit Knickerbockerglory.
Goshen runs the track well but probably prefers a longer trip these days, while improving five-year-old Dance And Glance faces his stiffest test to date.
O’CONNELL (3.35) hails from the in-form Sue Smith yard and she sends her gelding south with leading prospects in the 3m 5f Betfair London National.
The nine-year-old rattled off a hat-trick last winter and will strip sharper for a rock-solid third at Carlisle 34 days ago. O’Connell stayed on dourly to win over a shorter trip here on heavy ground last February and wins the vote, albeit narrowly, over top weight Tanganyika. Venetia Williams usually hits peak form around this time of the campaign and last year’s Midlands Grand National runner-up (front pair well clear) will surely have benefited from his seasonal bow behind Marble Sands in better company at Cheltenham.
Sussex National winner Invincible Nao has prospects but a testing surface leaves in-form Ask Brewster with questions to answer in search of a four-timer.
MR VANGO (2.40) can concede weight to 12 opponents in the 3m 2f William Hill Half A Mill Becher Chase at soggy Aintree.
Last year’s Midlands Grand National winner showed great resolution that day and his ability to handle stamina-sapping ground was underscored when winning at Sandown (heavy) on seasonal return last December.
Nicky Henderson’s Excello, an excellent third over 2m 5f here last month, will appreciate this slight ease in grade.
Galia Des Liteaux flies the Skelton flag under last Saturday’s winning big-race rider Triston Durrell.
Westerninthepark was an eyecatcher at Carlisle, only fading out of the places close home, and the Brian Hughes-ridden mare will attract attention hailing from the hot Olly Murphy yard.
Earlier on the card MARGARET’S LEGACY (1.30), the mount of James Bowen, is worth a wager in the 2m 4f chase.
Warren Greatrex saddled him to triumph at Haydock and Southwell last season, and the gelding made a promising return when hunting up Fine Casting at Bangor (soft) 24 days ago.
Nicky Richards’ horses are going well and top weight The Kalooki Kid wasn’t beaten far, despite finishing last of four behind useful Resplendent Grey at Carlisle in early November. The grey scored at Doncaster and Musselburgh last season and should be involved along with Richmond Lake, runner up here last Boxing Day. The assessor has cut him some slack and Richmond Lake is now 7lb lower in the ratings.
It would come as no surprise to see KAYF DANCER (1.04) make a winning return at Chepstow in the three-mile handicap hurdle.
The lightly-raced gelding turned in a lacklustre effort when sent off favourite at Newton Abbot in late October but a repeat of his third to The New Lion over course and distance here last October makes him difficult to overlook in this company, with 7lb conditional rider Jack Stenhouse in the saddle.
Idefix De Ciergues posted a respectable third to Tranquil Sea here in October and can figure.
Queen’s Venture won twice for the Skelton team on quick summer ground and her Newcastle third in mid-November was a promising stepping stone for her new yard. However, forecast rain will worry connections.
Tally Ho
Alan
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NB. All odds shown are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
