Aviation set for take off
The EBF final at Sandown is always a race I enjoy watching and then following as it tends to churn out some decent horses for the future.
I have plenty of respect for the market leaders but history will tell you this race isn’t that kind to the fancied horses.
Usually there are a few ‘lurkers’ down the bottom of the handicap and I think it’s worth chucking a few quid at a few.
My main hope will be AVIATION for the Lucy Wadham stable who has performed respectably in all of his novice starts to date.
An opening mark of 116 certainly doesn’t look insurmountable from what we have seen from him so far and I do think this track will bring out some improvement.
He is a chaser for next season so he has the correct profile for the race and I think he might just surprise a few at a big price.
Similar comments apply to MALINIFICENT for the Warren Greatrex stable.
He is closely related to the stable’s once classy chaser Bob Mahler so you expect him to appreciate a fence in the future but he showed plenty of improvement last time out when staying on in a hot race at Bangor.
The bare form doesn’t look much at present but I do think it will work out well and with Sean Bowen booked to do the riding you expect connections are hopeful of a big run.
Nield hoping for an Imperious ride
The Nield family have a tradition of targeting big handicap pots and have taken their fair share down the years.
I’m hoping they take another scalp on Saturday as I like the claims of BIG GINGE in the Imperial Cup at Sandown.
The handicapper has allotted him a mark of 116 which I think is very lenient given the strength of some of his form.
Connections won’t quite believe he hasn’t managed to win a novice hurdle but he has bumped into some very good novices.
His mark as a consequence has been protected and although he lines up here officially out of the handicap, Jamie Nield’s claim helps negate that disadvantage.
A free running front runner who would probably benefit from some professional assistance from the saddle, could be one of a few who want to be handy and on this quicker ground it might just pay to be handy. At 25/1 he looks a big price for an unexposed novice.
Away from the main selection, I have plenty of respect for Lump Sum but I think he has a big task on his hands conceding so much weight in a race like this.
There are some experienced handicappers in here and I do like TINTINTIN who should strip fitter for a recent spin at Ascot.
The drop back to 2m here should be much more to his liking and I think he could still be improving. He too rates a value each way play at a tasty price.
Sandown 1.50 – Aviation / Malinificent
Sandown 2.25 – Big Ginge / Tintintin
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