A mesmerising seven-race card will take place at Sandown Park on Saturday 26th April as the Jumps season comes to a conclusion at the Esher racecourse. The battle for the Trainers’ Championship will come to a conclusion as Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins lock horns on bet365 Gold Cup day and there’s some stunning races taking place. Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the action and picks out his best Sandown tips for Saturday’s action.
1:35pm Sandown – bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase
Dan Skelton’s Riskintheground has been in flying form of late and is bidding for a hat-trick of wins when he lines up in the 1:35pm contest. An impressive three-quarters-of-a-length winner over O’Moore Park at Cheltenham last time out, the Skelton charge has been given a notable hike in the weights and could prove vulnerable to the Paul Nicholls-trained INSURRECTION, who was last seen finishing eighth in the hot novice handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Ditcheat raider had previously cruised to a 16-length win over Asta La Pasta from the Skelton yard at Musselburgh, but was duly outclassed last month. This looks a much easier assignment on paper and having been dropped 1lb to a mark of 141 then he looks more than capable of bouncing back to winning ways and claim victory.
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2:25pm Sandown – bet365 Oaksey Chase
With four of the nine runners in the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase at 2:25pm, Willie Mullins should snaffle some big prize money and all eyes will be on Gaelic Warrior, who bounced back to winning ways with a sumptuous victory in the Grade 1 Bowl at Aintree. A repeat of that effort will see him hard to beat, but he could prove vulnerable to a notable Paul Nicholls runner PIC D’ORHY, who has long been a real right-handed track specialist.
Two Graded wins on his last two outings at Ascot, Pic D’Orhy has been one of the most consistent middle distance jumpers in recent seasons and having missed both Cheltenham and Aintree he should be primed for a crack at this. He maybe ten years old now, but the Ditcheat veteran has been imperious this season and he could well get his rivals under the pump from a long way out and if his exquisite jumping maintains his advantage then he will be extremely tough to beat.
4:10pm Sandown – bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase
Willie Mullins can help secure championship glory with victory in the bet365 Gold Cup at 4:10pm. With a gargantuan ten runners in the line-up and with nearly £100,000 to the winner, the master of Closutton is sure to snaffle some bumper prize money and the one he can land the coveted prize with is HIGH CLASS HERO, who could be a cut above his rivals here.
Still only a novice and having been beaten at 2/13 favourite last time out, High Class Hero may lack the proven class of the likes of stablemates Grangeclare West and last year’s winner Minella Cocooner, but he could be one that is certainly not in the handicapper’s grip and he could have a lot more to come over fences. Second in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last season, the eight-year-old has only won once in his three chase starts to date, but he’s sure to improve on that recent defeat and off a mark of 148 he can duly land this prize with aplomb with stable jockey Paul Townend opting to ride him.
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