07/01/16 Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Best Win Bet: 1.50 Sandown Garde La Victoire 2/1
Best EW Bet: 3.00 Sandown Aerial 10/1

Nicky Henderson

2.40 Wincanton Clondaw Banker 6/1

I was going to go to Ludlow with him but it was off anyway so we’re coming here where he’ll make his Chase debut. It’s a good little race but he enjoys his jumping and loves decent ground. It won’t be that ‘good’ but I think he’ll get away with it. He should go well.

★★★★☆

3.00 Sandown Ericht 20/1

If he reproduces his latest Cheltenham effort he would be bang there but it all depends on the trip as I have got grave suspicions that he doesn’t get 3m. It’s a great prize for these older horses and Sandown and the BHA should be commended for putting them on for us. We have to give it a go as there aren’t too many options with horses like him. He’s in very god form though and I couldn’t be happier with his condition heading into this race, but the trip does worry me.

★★☆☆☆

3.35 Sandown Maestro Royal 13/2

ran very well at Cheltenham last time and a bit like Ericht, if he can replicate that, he’d have a chance. He’ll be visiting the winners’ enclosure before long.

★★★★☆

3.35 Sandown Discours Dun Roi 3/1

We’re on a fact finding mission with DISCOURS D’UN ROI but he is a very nice horse and it will be fascinating to see how he gets on. I don’t know where he’s got a rating of 135 from, which seems very high to me. He has done everything we have asked of him at home but he’s not working with 135 rated horses hence I think he’s too high in the weights. That said, he is an exciting prospect and I hope he is a horse who will come forward for the run.

★★★☆☆

Paul Nicholls

12.45 Sandown Lifeboat Mona 9/4

We have a talented team of mares this season, more than ever before, and Lifeboat Mona is up there with the best of them. She has a good engine and won impressively at Ascot last time.

LIfeboat Mona will be switching to fences at some stage but there is no hurry while she is in such good form over hurdles and she has more than earned a crack at this Listed race. Definite chance.

★★★★☆

1.50 Sandown Ulck Du Lin 10/1

Can be a bit in and out but is capable of running well and is ridden here by Jack Sherwood who seems to have a happy knack of getting the best out of quirky types. Ulck Du Lin was second in this race a year ago and can bounce back if he is in the mood.

★★★☆☆

2.05 Wincanton Orbasa 8/1

My horses rarely need their first two runs so I've been astounded at the amount of work Orbasa has needed to get fit after doing himself much too well over the summer. He was a bit like the naughty boy who ate all the pies. He ran better last time at Ascot before tiring turning for home and I think he is getting there now.

I'm putting blinkers on Orbasa to sharpen him up and will be disappointed if he doesn't show marked improvement.

★★★★☆

2.25 Sandown Capitaine 11/8

One of a group of lovely young prospects we have for the future. He has lived up to my expectations this season, winning impressively from the front last time at Ascot where he jumped notably well. This is tougher but I am looking for a big run from Capitaine. I do respect the smart Hereford winner Finian's Oscar, who is stepping down in trip.

★★★★☆

2.40 Wincanton Favorito Bucks 7/1

Has been undeniably disappointing despite being given plenty of time since joining us and needs to relax to start showing his true colours. He has always jumped well so I am hoping this switch to fences will see him in a new light.

★★★☆☆

3.00 Sandown Aerial 10/1

Returned from almost two years off with a spirited success in a competitive handicap at Fontwell where he was very well ridden by Jordan Williams. I then ran him a bit too quickly at Kelso but I had to send him there to qualify for this valuable final of the excellent Veterans Chase series which was always the plan for him. Aerial is fresh and well now and has a sporting chance with Jordan again claiming a valuable 7lbs allowance.

★★★★☆

3.00 Sandown Rocky Creek 7/1

Was getting close to the last chance saloon at Sandown so I was surprised and delighted when he bounced back with a gutsy victory ridden by Jack Sherwood where he travelled and jumped with a lot of his old enthusiasm. We've sent him hunting several times this winter with obvious benefits. While Rocky Creek remains in good form he does stay well so it's possible that dropping back in trip to three miles is not ideal for him.

★★★☆☆

3.50 Wincanton The Last But One 8/1

Joined us from Ireland in the summer after showing promise when finishing second in a bumper for Gordon Elliott. This is a handy starting point for The Last But One who shows some promise at home.

★★★★☆

3.50 Wincanton Anchor Man 7/4

Won on his debut for us at Exeter before finding the company a bit too hot to handle next time at Cheltenham at this early stage of his career. This is a more suitable target though a 7lbs penalty doesn't help.

★★★☆☆

3.50 Wincanton Black Valentine 4/1

A staying chaser in the making he won nicely at this track on his debut for us and probably needs three miles already to bring out the best in him. He is still learning about racing and a 7lbs penalty makes life tougher for him.

★★★☆☆

Harry Whittington

2.25 Sandown Charlemar 7/1

He couldn’t have been more impressive on his 2 starts for the yard so far and has earned a step up to graded class.  It will clearly be his toughest assignment to date, the race is full of quality so it should give us a good idea of where he stands amongst the English trained novices.  He is in excellent form at home and we can’t wait to see him out on the track again.

★★★☆☆

3.00 Sandown Wychwoods Brook 16/1

He ran well for a long way at Kelso on yard debut and in doing so qualified for this race.  He has fallen down to a workable handicap mark and goes into this very competitive contest in great form.  The ground can’t be soft enough so we hope the rain materialises.  It is clearly a very competitive and lucrative contest but a clear round should see him in the mix.

★★★★☆

Julia Feilden

12.40 Lingfield Critical Thinking 10/1

ritical Thinking could make a quick reappearance after his run there last week when finishing 5th. He will be stepping up to a mile but I don't think that's a problem and he is capable of winning a little maiden race.

★★★☆☆

3.30 Lingfield Go On Gal 12/1

She was desperately unlucky not to win on a few occasions last year and she never got going last time. It is clear that she has the ability to win a race and hopefully her enthusiastic owners won't be waiting too long.

★★★☆☆

6.15 Wolverhampton Dakota City 5/1

Dakota City seems to run a bit flat over 1m4f so I think the step down in trip to 1m1f will be ideal as his turn of foot might be more effective. He has been very consistent but suffers as a result with a high rating. He should be thereabouts however.

★★★★☆

Dan Skelton

11.55 Newcastle Listen To The Man 1/7

This race has cut right up and to be honest Listen To The Man should be winning. It’s as simple as that. She will be prohibitive odds obviously but we do expect her to win. Let’s hope she does and then she’ll move up in grade. The horses went up Friday afternoon and stayed overnight so the journey won’t be an issue and they will all be fresh and ready to run.

★★★★★

12.30 Newcastle Laigle Royal 3/1

All three horses in this are quite close on the ratings. The minimum trip is probably not ideal for L’Aigle Royal however he does face rivals that he’s within touching distance of. That gives him a chance. He jumps well at home and with just two horses against him we have a decent shot.

★★★★☆

1.35 Newcastle Corrin Wood 5/2

He looks like he’s got his act back together. It’s a small field, we’ve put the cheek pieces on him and it’s the first time Harry has ridden him. He’s got to run well but it has been a long time since he won. We think he’ll run a big race.

★★★★☆

1.50 Sandown Savello 8/1

Savello is struggling for a bit of form this year. He was last in a three runner race and picked up eight grand so that worked out well. The handicapper probably needs to help him. Harry felt he was going well when he fell at Cheltenham, but he’s struggling for form at the moment. We’re running him again after eleven days and hoping he’ll bounce back in to form soon, and hopefully before long we can win another race with him. We need the handicapper to relent. He didn’t win a handicap last year; he won a weight for age race.

★★★☆☆

2.10 Newcastle Island Confusion 3/1

It’s Island Confusion’s first run for us. He’s a maiden over hurdles and fences. I thought we’d start him out in a handicap hurdle. He goes nicely at home and jumps nicely too. He likes a bit of cut in the ground so he should go well. I’m not saying he’ll win but we’d expect him to run well.

★★★★☆

Tom Scudamore

3.00 Sandown Dynaste 6/1

I am really looking forward to the Veterans’ Chase at 3.00 where I ride Dynaste. You can make a big case for him. It has been less than a year since he finished second in a Grade One around Ascot. Since then, he ran very well in the Bet365 Gold Cup Chase at Sandown and at Aintree in the Charlie Hall. However, he was then very disappointing last time out at Kelso.

You could say that he’s a handicap good thing or you could say that he has got to bounce back from being a complete no show at Kelso. He’s not the force he once was but the handicapper has reacted accordingly.

★★★☆☆

Richard Johnson

1.15 Sandown Atirelarigo 5/1

I’m hoping the big field will suit Atirelarigo in the 1.15pm. He won well at Chepstow last time, which was a nice confidence booster after we parted ways early on at Kempton the time before that. He is not a horse that would want a tactical race, so the big field should make sure we go a decent gallop. He is unexposed and I hope there is more to come from him.

★★★★☆

1.50 Sandown Garde La Victoire 2/1

The main reason I’m going to Sandown on Saturday is to ride Garde La Victoire (15/8) in the two-mile handicap chase. He ran really well over hurdles behind Yanworth in the Ascot Hurdle last time and prior to that was second in the Haldon Gold Cup to Sir Valentino, who ran so well in the Desert Orchid Chase last time.

Although he has to carry top weight, which is never easy, if he returns to the form of that run he will be hard to beat in this. We’ve always felt he would turn out to be a two-and-a-half mile horse, but all of his best form has been at the minimum trip so he should enjoy dropping back to two. There should be plenty of pace in the race. Evan William’s De Faoithesdream (9/2) was way out in front when falling at Cheltenham last month. Garde La Victoire started the season with a win in the Welsh Champion Hurdle and it would be nice to get him back in the winners’ enclosure.

★★★★★

3.00 Sandown Forgotten Gold 12/1

The fact that there are 19 runners in the veterans’ final (3.00pm) shows what a great initiative it’s been. Everyone loves seeing these horses come back year after year and it gives them a chance to run for a really valuable prize. It looks wide open and I am on Tom George’s Forgotten Gold (16/1). He won a three-runner race at Leicester last time and is a horse that has always had ability. The stable are in decent form and he looks to have an each-way chance in a very competitive race. Rocky Creek (8/1) won well last time and likes it around Sandown, so he may be the main one to beat.

★★★☆☆

3.35 Sandown Faithful Mount 10/1

My final ride is Faithful Mount (15/2) in the finale (3.35pm). He was running a solid race in a stronger contest than this last month when he made a bad mistake at the last. Ian Williams’ horses are running well so hopefully he has a fair chance in another open race.

★★★★☆

3:15 Wincanton Bradford Bridge 6/1

 I can never be in two places at once, but if I was at Wincanton I’d be looking forward to riding Bradford Bridge in the handicap hurdle (3.15pm). He looks like an improving horse, who is on a fair mark and he should go close.

★★★★☆

Malcom Jefferson

1.35 Newcastle Trickaway 7/1

Trickaway was disappointing last time but we could not see enough of the race (due to fog) to work out why. He has top weight tomorrow so it is an easier race ratings wise but it looks competitive enough despite only seven runners. Hopefully he will be back on track tomorrow and put his best foot forward. I was not fully convinced he saw out the three miles at Haydock but we should know more after tomorrow.

★★★☆☆

3.20 Newcastle Virtually Ours 20/1

Virtually Ours has been frustrating. She works well and does things right at home and we would love to see her do that on a race course. It is a bumper and the competition is hard to weigh up but I won’t mind her finishing position if she gallops from A to B.

★★☆☆☆