The last dances of the National Hunt season will ring out at Sandown on Saturday, providing us one last chance to land the Placepot over jumps this term. Plenty of competitive action means it may be easier said than done…
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Leg 1: 1.50pm
Leg 1 Selections: (7) Secret Squirrel, (17) Goonhilly
This race has given rise to some useful performers in recent years. Finding who that will be in this year’s renewal is tricky, with 20 entries and no clear favourite. Fiercely Proud has run well twice in Graded company, but that form might not be up to as much as it first appears, and so the two selections are SECRET SQUIRREL and GOONHILLY.
Hughie Morrison’s five-year-old has looked very talented in victories at Kempton and Taunton this season, and while comfortably beaten by Jeriko Du Reponet in between, he was unlucky not add another success when narrowly denied by Fire Flyer. He can turn tables on Paul Nicholls’ charge here as he looks well-treated off a mark of 126 with the potential he boasts.
Goonhilly is worth adding with Dan Skelton throwing everything at the Trainers’ Championship. He will almost certainly come up short, but his charge is 3lb lower for a very respectable run in the Imperial Cup, form which is broadly very strong and can be forgiven a reverse at Wincanton last time. He gets in off a featherweight here and might have more to offer.
Leg 2: 2.25pm
Leg 2 Selections: (4) Al Dancer
Easy Game should step well forward from his abominable run at Aintree, but there remains a question mark over his ability in races this strong, particularly conceding weight all-round. The difficulty in backing him extends to the majority of this field, none of whom have shown their best throughout the season, although the veteran AL DANCER has been closest to doing so.
He may be 11, but he returned to a career high mark of 154 over fences this term. He has finished in the top three in all four starts, goes on good ground, which coupled with the trip represents favourable conditions for him on Saturday. He gets weight from all except Hitman above him in the market and the grey can capitalise on that.
Leg 3: 3.00pm
Leg 3 Selections: (6) Jonbon
El Fabiolo is the likelier winner, but with his jumping errors even more of a terror than JONBON’s, it is Nicky Henderson’s charge who is the safer option for the Placepot. He has never fallen, and while that is technically still the case with Willie Mullins’ charge, he pulled up due to a race-ending blunder in the Champion Chase, for which he was the 2/9 favourite.
Jonbon is therefore trusted more to get round at the very least, while he has already demonstrated his superiority over Edwardstone, the third favourite, on multiple occasions this season. He has been prone to the odd cataclysmic blunder, but they are rarer than they are for El Fabiolo, and he is therefore better prospect for a guaranteed top two finish.
Leg 4: 3.35pm
Leg 4 Selections: (5) Le Milos, (13) Slipway
The feature handicap on the final day and numerous storylines may unfold. Once again, it would be no surprise if Dan Skelton snared a big handicap when needed most, and LE MILOS is only 3lb higher than when winning the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in 2022. Given his three runs this season have all been over hurdles, it is likely this race has been the sole target and he will surely be primed for it.
Nick Rockett would be preferred of the Mullins contingent, but we only need one horse to finish in the top four, so it may be worth chancing one at a bigger price as our other Placepot selection. SLIPWAY does not always put his best foot forward, but the last time he won a handicap chase after a losing run, he followed it up with another victory on his next start. Having won at Kempton last time, Ben Pauling’s charge may be ready to challenge again off 6lb higher in a race that promises to suit.
Leg 5: 4.10pm
Leg 5 Selections: (6) Ballyadam, (8) Sir Gerhard
We only need one in the top three as things stand, but with the risk of a non runner, take both third and fourth favourites BALLYADAM and SIR GERHARD with you. Both have formlines which would have them shorter in the market if maintained here, and with Impaire Et Passe and Langer Dan having run just 16 days ago in a titanic battle at Aintree, the two Cheveley park runners could well usurp them.
Ballyadam was conceding 6lb to Langer Dan when just 3½ lengths behind him in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham, and gets 4lb from him here (plus 6lb from Impaire Et Passe). Meanwhile, Sir Gerhard is rarely able to meet his optimum 2m5f trip (this is 100 yards further), but will be here. Good ground is a slight fear for each, but not an overwhelming one given both are in receipt of weight from the principles and have comfortably enough talent to be seriously involved.
Leg 6: 4.45pm
Leg 6 Selections: (1) Nickle Back
This should prove a case of “catch me if you can” for NICKLE BACK’s rivals, as the Grade 1 winner looks to bounce back from an Aintree no-show. However, that is easily forgiven as he got horribly impeded at the start, immediately ensuring he could not utilise his power-packed front-running tactics to best effect.
However, as he showed when winning the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, demolishing some reputations in the process, once he gets going from the front, he can be nearly impossible to catch. The quick, flowing nature of Sandown’s jumps course plays ideally to his strengths and a mark of 149 can be put to shame here.
Suggested Placepot Selections For Sandown On Saturday 27th April
Leg 1 Selections: (7) Secret Squirrel, (17) Goonhilly
Leg 2 Selections: (4) Al Dancer
Leg 3 Selections: (6) Jonbon
Leg 4 Selections: (5) Le Milos, (13) Slipway
Leg 5 Selections: (6) Ballyadam, (8) Sir Gerhard
Leg 6 Selections: (1) Nickle Back
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