Sandown Saturday preview: What the trainers say
Check out the view from connections ahead of Saturday's action at Sandown.
1.50 Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' Chase
Dan Skelton - Third Time Lucki: “I always thought he would be very good and I’m delighted it is proving that way. He loves his fences and that has been the making of him,” said Skelton. I wouldn’t rate either of his performances at Cheltenham as one being better than the other.
“I think the second performance might have been downplayed as Harry (Skelton) was cautious over the last three fences. Make no mistake he put the race to bed and there was no need to be overly aggressive on him.”
Alan King - Edwardstone: “He is in good order. I have been very happy with him since Warwick. Of course it is a competitive race, but it is a Grade One, so it deserves to be.
“We’ll take our chance. He’s done everything right since Warwick and let’s see how we get on. The ground will be fine for him.”
Colin Tizzard - War Lord: “He has done nothing wrong at all so far. He looked quite good up at Carlisle last time where he just got to the front a bit quick. He is a good prospect and could be anything still. He has had a good prep, but we will find out more on Saturday.”
Paul Nicholls - Il Ridoto: “That still leaves him with a bit to do with some of his rivals, but it’s in his favour that he gets the 6lb allowance as a four-year-old. Il Ridoto came on plenty for his first run at Newton Abbot, was slick over his fences at Newbury and seems in very good shape since then. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him run a big race". (Courtesy of Betfair)
3.35 Betfair Daily Rewards December Handicap Hurdle
Gary Moore - Hudson De Grugy: "He has worked well this week, He is a young horse carrying a lot of weight (10st 11lb). This is a lot different to the races he has won around there and he will have to up his game to win. He will appreciate a drop more rain as well.”
Harry Fry - Metier: "The lack of rain and softer ground is proving difficult, but we are under the impression that conditions will get slower and that is what we are after.
“He is ready to get started and we are back to the scene of his greatest triumph. It will tell us plenty about where we are for the rest of the season running off a mark of 144. We are looking forward to seeing him out again.”
Dr Richard Newland - Benson: “It is an obvious target for us and he has run well the last two times he has run at Sandown. He is in good form and I think this trip might be better for him. It was his first run, but I still feel he weakened a bit. I’d like to think he has a bit more scope in him over this trip.
“Benson has a tongue tie and this will likely be very different ground to what he won on last year, but we will take our chance.”
Lucy Wadham - Miss Heritage: “She was absolutely brilliant last season and thrives on very soft ground, so I am a bit anxious, as they were talking about having eight millimetres of rain on Friday night, but that may not arrive now.
“We will be keeping an eye on that, but she is in great form and has had a run. We are now in December and while the ground is winter ground, normally at this time of year it is bottomless. It is hard because you can’t hold them up forever, but the prize money is good.
“We are confident in her well-being, but she is obviously paying for last year in terms of her rating. That said, she ran an absolute belter at Ascot on her seasonal debut on what was just good ground and the softer it is, the better her chance.”
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