Who To Follow At Sandown On Saturday - 08/01/22

Sandown 15:35

Mack The Man

Adam Wedge

Evan Williams

Age: 8

Weight: 10-11

OR: 130

Days: 59

The final event of the afternoon at Sandown Park is the two mile handicap hurdle and the horse that takes the eye is Mack The Man for Evan Williams.

The eight year old is a very smart horse, that although has been up and down at some stages of his career, overall has been very good.

Two terms ago he was seen winning back to back races at Warwick and Sandown (over C&D) before heading into Betfair Hurdle in 2020 where he had a huge chance to land the spoils but was unfortunately bought down.

Last season he started his term over fences and in both his runs at Ffos Las and Ascot he showed a lack of enthusiasm for the bigger fences.

Williams then sent him back over the smaller obstacles where he got back to winning ways and on his second try in the Betfair Hurdle it did not go to plan again.

He rounded off the season in March in the Grade Three Imperial Cup at Sandown and was a good third behind Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle second Langer Dan.

Staying over hurdles this term he was seen for the first time at Exeter in a Class 3 Handicap Hurdle off 127 and won by a neck.

He will improve for that run and off only 3lb higher he looks a nice bet at the odds.

Form: 51031View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
02/11/24	AYR	16	Gd	11-6	1
26/05/24	KEL	16	GS	10-10	4
16/05/24	PER	16	GS	10-10	1
26/04/24	PER	16	Sft	10-13	3
05/04/24	MUS	17.5	Sft	10-10	1

Venetia Williams has been in some sparkling form over the last few months and at Sandown on Saturday she could add to her ever growing tally.

One of her best chances of the day comes from Farinet in the Class 3 Handicap Chase who although pulling up at Cheltenham last time holds bundles of ability off this mark.

Another nice runner is the old faithful Aso who goes into the Veteran's Handicap Chase with a big chase being the current favourite.

Williams heads into the meeting currently running at a strike rate of 16% for the last two weeks with four winners from her last 25 runners.

The jockey to get behind at the weekend is the Grade One winning Paddy Brennan who has some live chances for multiple trainers across the day.

In the opening race of the afternoon he sits on the Milton Harris trained Romeo's Bond who has been a very smart hurdler since changing spheres and should go well.

Another nice shout for the rider is Final Nudge in the Veteran's Handicap Chase with the 13 year old heading into the event off the back of a nice win at Warwick last time out.

Brennan heads into the meeting in flying form, currently running at a 31% strike rate for the last few weeks, managing to land five winners from 16 runners.