Katie Midwinter (06/01/23)
SANDOWN
1:15pm – Handicap Chase (Class 3)
Venetia Williams saddles quite a few fancies favourites across the cards on Saturday, and Gemirande is the yard’s representative in this handicap chase contest. He recorded an emphatic seven-and-a-half-length win over Dan Skelton’s Our Jet when the pair met at Southwell in November, with Our Jet having since won at Leicester taking his rating to 131.
Gemirande could still be well handicapped on that form, now running off a mark of 124, 10lbs higher for his performance when last seen.
The softer conditions usually suit Williams’ runners but this French recruit’s best form has come on better ground although he did win a conditions race on very soft ground at Pau in his debut season.
Another that may perhaps favour firmer conditions is Richard Spencer’s Peejaybee. The gelding has decent form over similar trips and made an eye-catching start to the new year in 2022 when third to Balco Coastal, finishing ahead of Gentleman At Arms who then went on to finish second in a Grade One at Aintree.
Peejaybee then finished fifth at Sandown behind Complete Unknown and Marble Sands amongst others, and he could be capable of showing further improvement by building on his previous runs.
The biggest worry, as mentioned, is the ground. It may perhaps be too soft for him come Saturday, but he may be worth taking a chance on especially with in-form rider Sean Bowen in the saddle.
Precious Eleanor faces a tough task off top-weight, but with Henry Daly’s yard in flying form it would be unwise to write her off.
The grey mare won a Listed handicap against her own sex at Cheltenham in April when running off a mark of 124 and is now 6lbs higher. Her best form is on better ground but she has coped with soft conditions in the past and may be one to consider.
Lydia Richards saddles an interesting contender in Certainly Red who has snippets of fair form but is up in class and may be found wanting in this company.
Peejaybee 15/4 – Richard Spencer, Sean Bowen
1:50pm – Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Course and distance winner Grey Diamond heads the market for Sam Thomas following a good run at Cheltenham’s November Meeting where he finished third behind Amarillo Sky and Fugitif. He is up 2lbs for his placed effort, now rated 133, a mark at which he has performed respectably in the past.
His effort at Wincanton last January saw him finish last of seven, incredibly unlucky to almost fall at the last when finishing strongly and mounting a threatening challenge. That run, as well as his seasonal reappearance, showed this gelding has plenty of talent and is worthy of being considered as one of the likeliest winners of this race.
Corrigeen Rock has also tasted success over the trip at the track when easily beating the field here last month. He is now 9lbs higher and up in class which makes his task tougher but he does appear to be a horse improving, and has plenty of potential as he is only a six-year-old.
Frero Banbou is worthy of consideration following his placed finish in a Grade Three when seen for the first time this season. However, his subsequent run at Ascot was disappointing and off a mark of 140 he could find one or two better in this field.
Evan Williams’ The Last Day has had his issues having only been seen twice in two years prior to making his racecourse return at Haydock last January. He fell at the last there when travelling strongly carrying top-weight in soft conditions.
Following that run he went to Aintree where he won the Red Rum Handicap Chase in impressive fashion, beating Irish-raider Dancing On My Own as the pair pulled well clear of a field that included Shakem Up’Arry, Sky Pirate and Fugitif, with Frero Banbou a distance behind in ninth.
The Last Day arguably has the best form in the race and is a classy type. He is running off a mark 5lbs higher this time around, rated 141, and has struggled when rated 142 in the past but could be worthy of another chance off a high mark.
The Last Day 15/2 – Evan Williams, Adam Wedge
2:25pm – Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
The Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle’s leading trainer, Nicky Henderson, saddled his sixth winner in this contest twelve months ago, as the spectacular Constitution Hill strode to a twelve-length victory in testing conditions at Sandown. On only his second start under rules he announced himself as a potential star, having previously recorded an emphatic maiden win over the useful Might I.
In this year’s renewal however, Henderson will have no representative, as the promising Luccia, who was set to make her first hurdling appearance against the geldings, is unable to line up, after an unsatisfactory scope on Wednesday.
The leading contenders in Luccia’s absence are Gary Moore’s course and distance winner Authorised Speed and four-timer winning trainer of the race Paul Nicholls’ Tahmuras. The former, hoping to give his trainer a first win in the contest, finished second in two bumpers before winning his maiden at Newbury last January.
He then went on to feature in the high class Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing a respectable fifth on heavy ground. He has made an untarnished start to his hurdling career, winning by a combined distance of twenty-one-and-a-half-lengths in two starts.
With good form and the yard performing well there is plenty in his favour, but it’s likely he’ll need soft ground if he is to run to the best of his ability.
Tahmuras is three from four under rules, only narrowly beaten once at Ffos Las by L’Astroboy who also lines up on Saturday. Nicholls’ gelding was keen in the early stages of the race, taking a while to settle.
He managed to get to the front after the last, and appeared to be lengthening away on the long run in having closed the door on L’Astroboy. However, the Evan Williams-trained gelding was brave on debut and battled hard to gain momentum on Tahmuras, closing strongly and showing a good burst of speed to get up at the line.
L’Astroboy has only been seen once since, again at Ffos Las to beat Inedit Star on hurdling debut. Interestingly, Tom George’s runner-up, Inedit Star, was making his first start in the UK, having previously been campaigned in France, running in a Grade One bumper won by Irish Point, mentioned in The Conditional’s Cheltenham Festival 2023 Antepost Bets, and set to run in the Grade One Novice Hurdle at Naas on Sunday.
Il Est Francais finished second and has since gone on to win a Grade One as well as a Grade Three, also for George.
The winner at Ffos Las had to work for his victory, failing to hurdle the last with much fluency, but once asked by jockey Adam Wedge he was able to quicken away to put the race to bed.
It was a pleasing debut over obstacles and it’s likely he’ll improve with experience, putting him in with a chance in this contest, particularly from an each-way angle considering the promise the two more experienced horses at the top of the market have already shown.
Since failing to win on yard debut, Tahmuras has recorded three successive wins, beating a total of twenty nine rivals. He finished ahead of Blow Your Wad in a bumper at Wincanton, before two comfortable successes over timber, including a Listed win on soft ground when last seen.
There could be an Irish-raider in the field, with Henry De Bromhead’s Arctic Bresil set to make the trip across the Irish Sea to take his chance in Grade One company. He has only run once under rules, winning a Cork maiden comfortably, making most of the running but not without errors.
With more experience he may be able to show more fluency over the obstacles this time around and will certainly need to be cleaner in this company.
Nemean Lion placed in the Group Two Prix Chaudenay for Godolphin when trained by Andre Fabre, back in 2020. He has since been gelded and resides at Kerry Lee’s yard, where he has made a decent start to his new career since switching disciplines.
The son of Golden Horn was successful on hurdling debut, winning over two miles at Hereford by nine-and-a-half-lengths. He was then runner-up to Hullnback, a promising horse for Fergal O’Brien who was placed in a Grade Two bumper and finished second to Pikar on his penultimate start.
Hullnback also finished a length-and-a-quarter behind Authorised Speed when the pair met in a Listed bumper at Newbury last February, in a race won by Top Dog, with the promising Rosy Redrum finishing second.
On that form Nemean Lion has a bit to find with Authorised Speed who has since shown plenty of improvement, yet there could be further progression to come from Lee’s well-bred six-year-old.
Point-to-point winner Colonel Harry has made two starts for Jamie Snowden, finishing second to Mofasa on debut before recording a maiden success over course and distance in November.
He was well beaten when making his first appearance under rules by a horse in Mofasa who has since finished two-and-a-quarter-lengths ahead of Gordon Elliott’s Music Drive in a Class 2 at Cheltenham, but followed that run with an underwhelming performance at Newcastle when finishing fourth of four.
It’s difficult to know what to make of the form as Mofasa could turn out to be a useful type, and Colonel Harry has only been seen once since, easily beating Uncle Bert who then finished four-and-a-half-lengths ahead of the aforementioned Inedit Star.
Colonel Harry made all at the track when last seen having sweated significantly prior to the off but despite this he managed to stay on strongly to win with ease and could be able to outrun his likely big odds on Saturday.
Three-time winner under rules Ukantango placed in a Grade Two behind Fennor Cross when last seen at Cheltenham. He remains capable of more for Olly Murphy but may be found wanting in this company.
Blow Your Wad is the outsider of the field representing Tom Lacey. He finished a six-and-a-half-length second to Luccia on debut, giving away 1st to the winner, and then finished second to Tahmuras, as mentioned, when the pair met at Wincanton.
The five-year-old also finished fourth behind Hullnback (runner-up) in a Grade Two bumper at Aintree won by Lookaway last season. As his price reflects, Blow Your Wad will need to show significant improvement to feature at the finish and is unlikely to trouble the leading contenders in the market.
Authorised Speed 2/1 – Gary Moore, Jamie Moore
With a special mention to…
Colonel Harry 25/1 (EW) – Jamie Snowden, Gavin Sheehan
3:00pm – Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Eighteen are set to go to post for this veterans contest with many fan favourites (over ten-years-old) lining up in what appears an open betting heat. Ramses De Teillee heads the market for David Pipe with Tom Scudamore onboard once again.
This is his second run following wind surgery which is often the time to back a horse, however Ramses De Teillee showed great improvement when last seen and could be even better and able to defy a 6lbs rise in this particular race. He has won off a higher mark in the past and is certainly one for the shortlist, currently best priced at 5/1.
The market appears to suggest that course and distance winner Prime Venture is the favourite’s biggest danger. His last two runs have come over hurdles, with his previous chasing appearance coming at this track in the Grade Three bet365 Gold Cup in which he was pulled-up when one of the outsiders of the field.
He did fare better in his prior run at Ayr when finishing sixth in the Scottish Grand National and is 5lbs lower this time around, potentially well-handicapped off a mark of 130.
Snow Leopardess needs testing ground to be seen to the best of her ability and with rainfall forecast at the track already described as soft, she is likely to get her desired conditions on Saturday.
She finished eighth at Aintree when last seen on ground was nowhere near soft enough, as was the case when she lined up in last year’s Grand National. On reappearance at Warwick she made a race-ending mistake at the first fence and was pulled-up by jockey Aidan Coleman.
Things haven’t gone her way in recent runs, and now rated 4lbs lower off a mark of 142 she has an excellent chance of rediscovering form. The yard is also in good form with trainer Charlie Longsdon saddling a winner from every four runners in recent weeks.
At a bigger price, Run To Milan could represent value as a decent each-way selection. His best form is at Exeter, a track he seems to love, and he hasn’t been quite as prolific in recent runs on left-handed tracks.
Whilst Sandown can prove testing, he may be able to give a better showing of himself and often runs well at this time of year. He may be one to consider away from the favourites.
Snow Leopardess 7/1 – Charlie Longsdon, Aidan Coleman
With a special mention to…
Run To Milan 20/1 (EW) – Victor Dartnall, Alan Johns
3:35pm – Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
Venetia Williams’ Djelo is the market leader in this field of eleven runners ahead of the two mile handicap run over hurdles. He has been seen twice since making the switch from France, and made an excellent start for his new yard when winning at a canter at Exeter in November.
His following run was less impressive when he finished second as beaten favourite at Haydock. He is back in trip here which could allow him to bounce back, and he remains an intriguing runner with a lot of untapped potential.
Lightly Squeeze is a new recruit for the in-form Harry Fry and had no problems on yard debut, recording success at Kempton. He has plenty of experience which could hold him in good stead and has previously placed in a Grade Three off a mark of 137. He runs off 136 and could be the biggest threat to the favourite.
Paul Nicholls’ Iceo may be worth taking a chance on as a horse who possesses plenty of potential, but perhaps has struggled to show his true ability for the yard in three runs to date.
His debut win for connections was visually exceptional as he put seventeen-lengths between himself and the field. In his two following runs he has finished fourth on both occasions in Grade Two company.
It’s likely he’ll be able to build on those performances and, now down in class, he could put in a better showing of himself.
An interesting declaration in the field is outsider Band Of Outlaws, making his first start for Ben Haslam. Formerly with Joseph O’Brien he won the Boodles (The Fred Winter) at the Cheltenham Festival back in 2019, providing his young trainer with his first winner at the showcase meeting.
He has only been seen once in the past year and a half, when featuring in a Flat handicap at the Curragh finishing a couple of lengths behind Willie Mullins’ Echoes In Rain.
In the past he has run in much tougher races than this and showed plenty of ability as a youngster. He is now an eight-year-old and could still be capable of performing well.
At the prices he may be worth watching rather than backing, and could come on for the run or not be the horse he once was. However, he has class and runs in the JP McManus colours and, if able to rediscover some past form, he could be able to outrun his odds.
It’ll be intriguing to see how Band Of Outlaws gets on at Sandown on Saturday and if he still enjoys his racing.
Band Of Outlaws 40/1 (EW) – Ben Haslam, Richie McLernon
WINCANTON
1:30pm – Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Celebre D’Allen 11/4 – Phillip Hobbs, Tom O’Brien
Phillip Hobbs yard hasn’t been enjoying much success in recent weeks, but the favourite here, Celebre D’Allen, could be good enough to defy the stable’s poor form and land the plaudits at Wincanton. He recorded a hat-trick of wins at the start of last season before running in a Grade Three Handicap at Cheltenham, finishing a fair fifth whilst staying on well.
These are calmer waters and, following a seasonal reappearance over three miles at Warwick, which was probably too tough a stamina test, he is back in trip only 3lbs higher than his last winning mark, rated 138.
2:05pm – Handicap Chase (Class 3)
Not Available 5/1 – Matt Sheppard, Tom Bellamy
Last seen on New Year’s Eve, this race is a quick turnaround for Not Available, but he has dealt with little rest between runs in the past and is in good form appearing to enjoy his racing.
When last seen at Newbury last week he put in an exceptional performance, staying on well under a magnificent ride by Sam Twiston-Davies having been off the bridle early on and looking as though he had no chance of completing the race.
At big odds of 18/1 he managed to run well enough to finish third, overtaking struggling rivals who had benefitted from a smoother toe into the race.
The handicapper has been quite generous, dropping him 2lbs for that run which sees him line up off a mark of 118 this time around. He could be well-handicapped and is a strong fancy on the card at a decent price.
3:15pm – Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
Chianti Classico 8/13 – Kim Bailey, David Bass
Potentially the NAP of the day, Chianti Classico’s task has been made easier with Jubilee Express being declared a non-runner, with the horse instead engaged at Ludlow on Friday.
Kim Bailey’s gelding has an excellent chance of claiming the prize and has the best form coming into the race. He’s bidding for a hat-trick of wins, and has looked impressive in many of his runs to date, in particular his maiden win at Chepstow in October.
At the Welsh track he beat Paul Nicholls’ Henri The Second, a promising horse who beat Authorised Speed in a bumper last season and is as short as 20/1 for the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival.
Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden have both spoken highly of their horse and he has shown a lot of class to date, representing an excellent formline for Chianti Classico.
The short-priced favourite here is also proven on soft ground and, with plenty in his favour, it seems unlikely he’ll be toppled.
CORK
3:22pm – Handicap Chase
Ballyadam Destiny (EW) – Denis Gerard Hogan, Daniel King (5)
A tracker horse to note, Ballyadam Destiny remains a maiden over fences but is often worth keeping on side on soft or worse ground. Trained by Denis Hogan, the gelding will have 5lbs claimer Daniel King onboard on Saturday, carrying little weight in the handicap run over 2m4f.
He’ll need testing conditions to be seen to the best of his ability and is one to consider each-way as he’s often available at huge prices.
At Limerick last week he finished third, coming from the rear of the field without ever being in a position to challenge long-time leader and eventual winner Difficult Decision.
Prior to that run he finished sixth on good ground at a starting price of 33/1 when making a trip over the Irish Sea to Cheltenham. That run followed an impressive win at Galway on soft to heavy ground, and he is only 5lbs higher here.
THE CONDITIONAL 
Splendid effort!
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