GERRI COLOMBE should take his tally to 7-7 with a victory in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (2.20) at Sandown Park on Saturday.
The son of Saddler Maker joined Gordon Elliott for £240,000 after a winning point-to-point debut in March 2020, and is still unbeaten in the professional ranks.
My selection added to scores over hurdles to a brace of bumper wins before going over fences this winter.
Gerri Colombe started out of the larger obstacles with a cosy two-and-three-quarter-length margin at Fairyhouse in November, before stepping up to the top level for the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick on Boxing Day.
Sent off the 4-5 favourite against four rivals, Jordan Gainford’s mount jumped with pizazz en route to a four-and-a-quarter-length supremacy from Adamantly Chosen.
The seven-year-old is still a long way from the bottom of the barrel, and can land this prize before returning to Britain for the Cheltenham Festival in March.
FLIGHT DECK is ready for take-off in the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle (2.55).
The son of Getaway hasn’t been an easy horse for Jonjo O’Neill to get to the track – he’s just turned nine and has had just 13 starts under Rules.
But there’s an engine in there – Flight Deck has scored on five of his 12 attempts over hurdles, and returned to winning form at Chepstow’s Welsh Grand National undercard in December.
Ridden by O’Neill’s son, Jonjo jnr, my selection denied Bells Of Peterboro by four and a quarter lengths and the top weight should again give a good account despite a 7lb hike in the handicap.
The runner-up’s trainer Tim Vaughan is taken to capture the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase (3.30) with EVA’S OSKAR .
The fitting of a visor has triggered a return to form for Shirocco’s son, who marked his first start in the headgear with a cosy success at Exeter last March.
Eva’s Oskar was back in the winner’s enclosure after holding Spiritofthegames at Cheltenham last time out, evidently doing no more than was necessary to land the spoils by half a length, and is fancied to overcome a 3lb rise in the weights.
The Virgin Bet Dolos Handicap Chase (1.45) rates a good opportunity for RED ROOKIE to double his tally over the larger obstacles.
On the back of an authoritative triumph at Hereford last January, Emma Lavelle’s eight-year-old went off an 80-1 outsider for the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham – and was running above those odds, albeit beaten at the time, when coming to grief at the final fence.
Red Rookie should come on for his return-to-action fifth at Chepstow over Christmas and still has an upside as a chaser.
Twinjets had TWIN POWER in his wake when the pair met at Plumpton at the beginning of last month, but an 8lb pull in the weights will help the latter’s cause in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (1.10).
At Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival, GALOPIN DES CHAMPS should justify cramped odds in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (3.05).
Four wins over fences, gained at an aggregate of 62 lengths, have propelled the Willie Mullins trainee to the head of the Cheltenham Gold Cup market, so there will be a big shake-up in the ante-post lists if his colours are lowered here.
At Wetherby, O’TOOLE made a taking debut over fences at Newcastle last month – he landed a handicap chase by three and three-quarter lengths from Castle Rushen – and is capable of shaking up hotpot Ballygriffincottage as he steps up on class for the Grade 2 William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase (2.40).
Saturday tips
SANDOWN PARK
12.35 CHASING FIRE
1.10 TWIN POWER
1.45 RED ROOKIE
2.20 GERRI COLOMBE
2.55 FLIGHT DECK
3.30 EVA’S OSKAR
4.03 WRAPPEDUPINMAY
WETHERBY
1.00 SNOWY EVENING
1.35 OUR JET
2.10 JANE DU BERLAIS
2.40 O’TOOLE
3.23 DOCTOR DEX
3.55 BALLYMOY
4.30 PARK ANNONCIADE
LEOPARDSTOWN
1.20 GOOD LAND
1.55 LOSSIEMOUTH
2.30 APPRECIATE IT
3.05 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
3.40 GROZNI
4.10 FINAL ORDERS
4.40 FACT TO FILE
MUSSELBURGH
1.28 NOTLONGTILLMAY
2.03 SLIPWAY (NB)
2.35 HEMLOCK
3.16 NAYATI
3.48 SIMPLE STAR
4.20 CYCLOP
LINGFIELD PARK
12.10 HARRY BROWN
12.40 PABLO PRINCE
1.16 FRENCH INVASION
1.51 BEZZA’S LAD
2.26 ANNAF (NAP)
3.01 SIR BUSKER
3.36 NASIM
KEMPTON PARK
5.30 NICK VEDDER
6.00 SPRING PROMISE
5.30 PROBABLE
7.00 CHOLA EMPIRE
7.30 ONE MORE OLLY
8.00 HOW HARD CAN IT BE
8.30 WINKLEVI
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