Sandown tips
- George’s Lad (Sandown, 1.50) – each-way @ 13/2 William Hill (1/5 odds, five places)
- Kepler’s Law (Sandown, 1.50) – each-way @ 18/1 BetVictor (1/5 odds, 5 places)
- Go Dante (Sandown, 2.25) – each-way @ 7/1 bet365 (1/5 odds, 5 places)
- Goshen (Sandown, 3.35) – win @ 7/1 bet365
Cheltenham is looming large on the horizon as betting sites turn their focus to the biggest betting event of the year, but before all that hullabaloo, there’s still the small matter of Imperial Cup day at Sandown to enjoy.
Emma Lavelle’s string have been rattling along at a terrific strike-rate since the turn of the year, and the in-form handler appears to have a healthy chance of landing the EBF Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.
The Wiltshire trainer has sent out 16 winners from just 60 runners since January 1 and both Silver Thorn and George’s Lad (Sandown, 1.50) look live contenders for the valuable novices’ handicap.
Slight preference would be for the latter who bolted up at Doncaster last time, thumping subsequent scorer Calimystic with ease, earning an 11lb rise in the handicap despite jockey Harry Cobden doing his best not to win too far.
Sadly, Cobden is claimed to ride Belliano by his stable, but Liam Harrison is an able deputy aboard a horse which remains unexposed at this trip.
I can’t let Kepler’s Law (Sandown, 1.50) run unbacked either, especially with former champion jockey Brian Hughes forsaking a normal trip to Ayr to head south.
Laura Morgan’s son of Jack Hobbs won in a canter at Leicester at the end of January and clearly operates very well on testing ground, so conditions should be to his liking, and he looks overpriced on horse racing betting sites.
Sandown 1.50 tips
- George’s Lad (Sandown, 1.50) – each-way @ 13/2 William Hill (1/5 odds, five places)
- Kepler’s Law (Sandown, 1.50) – each-way @ 18/1 BetVictor (1/5 odds, 5 places)
Sandown Imperial Cup tips
Go Dante (Sandown, 2.25) has been campaigned with the Imperial Cup in mind all season and looks primed to make a bold bid to repeat last year’s success in the Saturday feature.
True soft ground would have increased confidence in the nine-year-old’s chances, but conditions may well still be exacting, and the selection will have plenty of pace to aim at in the straight with at least three confirmed front-runners in opposition.
His latest effort behind Joyeuse in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Newbury hinted that he was approaching peak fitness, and he should relish returning to a right-handed track.
Sandown 2.25 tip
Go Dante (Sandown, 2.25) – each-way @ 7/1 bet365 (1/5 odds, 5 places)
Goshen at home in Esher
Goshen (Sandown, 3.35) boasts form figures of 11243 at the Esher venue and has run better on both of his recent starts than his finishing position suggests.
Sent off at 33/1 on betting apps for his penultimate outing over hurdles at Sandown, Gary Moore’s popular nine-year-old stayed on well to take third behind the front-running Red Dirt Road who dominated from the outset and got loose on the lead.
The gelding’s subsequent display over fences in a warm Ascot handicap chase again highlighted he remains in good heart and this smaller field chase should really play to his strengths as his strike-rate in seven-runner fields or less is eight wins from just 22 starts.
Sandown 3.35 tip
Goshen (Sandown, 3.35) – win @ 7/1 bet365
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