Nicky Henderson can warm up for Cheltenham with a big Sandown winner according to our gossip column. Check out the full details.
TWEED SKIRT – 3.00 Sandown
Tweed Skirt can give Nicky Henderson a pre-Cheltenham boost with victory in the listed British Stallion Studs EBF Mares' Standard Open NH Flat Race at Sandown on Saturday.
The champion trainer has endured a somewhat difficult winter with his powerful string but there are real signs of a revival with the arrival of more balmy weather and hopes are high that this lightly-weighted daughter of Martalane can underline the point.
A half-sister to the runner up in this race four years ago Petticoat Tails, she was strongly fancied on her debut at Wetherby and, unlike several of her highly rated stablemates from the younger generations, she delivered.
Although the form does not look anything too hot, she has positively thrived in recent weeks and has been working particularly well.
RIGGS – 1.50 Sandown
Riggs can see off old rival Patroclus in the European Breeders' Fund Paddy Power 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final .
Dan Skelton has a very strong team of young horses for this division and they have contributed to his fine run of form during the winter months.
Riggs has been brought along more quietly than some of them but did show what he could do with a win at Uttoxeter in December and his three-quarter length second to the Henderson-trained Patroclus at Doncaster last month.
His jumping was a little ring-rusty on Town Moor but he has had plenty of practice since and hurdled fluently when schooled under Harry Skelton on Thursday morning. Although he has been upped 4lb for his latest effort, he is a pound better off with his old rival and connections are more than hopeful they can turn the form around.
LANGER DAN – 2.25 Sandown
Skelton should also go close with the relatively unexposed Langer Dan in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup. It was just under a year ago that this five-year-old suggested a good quality handicap could be within his range this season with a very creditable sixth to Aramax in the Boodles at the Cheltenham Festival. However not all has gone to plan since.
He had to undergo surgery on his breathing after below par efforts on his first two outings of this campaign and his only subsequent performance at Market Rasen last month was very much a confidence booster.
His eye-catching sixth to highly-rated Ajero was a much improved effort and suggested and he could well be a leading player in what does not look a vintage renewal of this famous race.
FARINET – 3.35 Sandown
Farinet merits serious consideration on his second outing for Venetia Williams in the Paddy's Rewards Club Novices Handicap Chase.
There was much to like about this French import's debut performance for new connections when fourth to Galahad Quest at Haydock three weeks ago and he should be sharper for what was his first venture since finishing second in a chase at Dieppe in mid-July.
WELL PLANTED – 8.20 Chelmsford
John Quinn is always a man to note when he heads to Chelmsford and should go close to hitting the mark with Well Planted in the tote.co.uk Now Never Beaten By SP Handicap .
The son of Planteur produced his best effort so far when chasing home Lopes Dancer at Newcastle on his return from a near six month absence and with just four outings recorded, is entitled to progress further. The step up from a mile-and-a-half to 14 furlongs is also a plus.
BELLISSIME – 1.30 Wolverhampton
Kevin Ryan is starting to wind things up with a numerically very strong team for 2021 and Bellissime should go well on her comeback in the Bombardier "March To Your Own Drum" Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton.
The trainer raised a few eyebrows when he chose the Group Two Sky Bet Lowther Stakes for her debut at the York Ebor Meeting but she was far from disgraced and there was not much wrong with her only other attempt at Newcastle, even though she was beaten at short odds.
The form of the race looks solid enough and she has done enough in her prelims this spring to suggest she can give promising Fjordland plenty to think about.
REPARTEE – 3.15 Wolverhampton
Repartee, a stablemate of Bellissime, won on his debut at York as a juvenile and landed a Listed event on his reappearance last season. He is fancied to complete the hat-trick in the Betway Handicap.
This will certainly prove no cakewalk, but connections are hopeful he will return to his best form after a gelding operation was performed last august to relieve a rather painful problem. He has been moving well in his preparatory work and looks worth an each-way wager in an interesting.