Sandown Saturday Preview - 01/02/19

Sandown hosts a superb card on Saturday and in the first race of the day we have a Novices' Hurdle over two miles and the Paul Nicholls trained Flic Ou Voyou looks an exciting six year old.

The gelding started his career over hurdles this season finishing a narrow second at Chepstow behind a smart youngster for Colin Tizzard.

He then to Wincanton finishing third in a very hot Novice contest that has since seen the second Fiddlerontheroof go on to win a Grade One which is a huge form boost.

He has been an unlucky horse finishing second again on his final start at Taunton and if now knuckling down to the task looks the one to beat here.

No Bet

No Bet

The feature race on the contest comes in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase and there is only one winner for us in this Grade one and that is the Irish raider Laurina.

This superstar mare was a fantastic novice hurdler landing the Grade Two Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival two years ago and also a Grade One at Fairyhouse.

She faded as a hurdler last season but now chasing could be a bright star, winning on her chase debut at Gowran Park but last time out burst blood vessels in her nose and ran no kind of race in a Grade One.

Now back fully fit and having course and distance form from last year at Sandown makes her a big challenger.

Another classy contest on the Sandown card is the Grade Three Handicap Hurdle and with such a big field intended to go to post we have two big priced each way shouts.

The first is the David Pipe trained Remastered who holds plenty of ability for this yard finishing a narrow second at Chepstow last time out and having had wind surgery after that and getting his perfect soft/heavy conditions should go well.

Another at a similar price is the Chris Gordon trained Go Whatever who goes well at this track winning a novice event and a handicap over course and distance during his career.

The six year old is seeking a hat-trick in this contest having won nicely on heavy ground on his last two outings and he could still yet improve for them runs.

It is the same story in the Masters Handicap Chase over three miles with another strung out field of runners we have two big fancies.

Classic Ben for trainer Stuart Edmunds is the first we will mention with him being only one pound higher than his narrow win in this contest last season and has ran well enough already this season to suggest he could have a say.

Le Rocher for shrewd trainer Nick Williams is our each way pick in this one having finished a bright second last time out at Wincanton having previously having a year off the track.

Should improve for that.

The final race of the afternoon is the Class 3 Handicap Hurdle and Lisa De Vassy for Paul Nicholls will not be to far away in this one.

The five year old mare is a bit of an unknown entity going for the same connections as Cyrname and on her two runs this season she has shown scope she will improve throughout the season.

She started her season at Exeter finishing a decent fourth of 16 runners blowing away the cobwebs nicely after over a year off the track and then last time out finished second to a smart Harry Fry mare and that form sets the standard,