Paul Ferguson has one selection for us on Saturday; Shantou Village in the Sandown 16:45. Compare odds and bet.
The curtain closes on the National Hunt season at Sandown this afternoon, where Shantou Village (4:45) is the one to be with in the penultimate novices’ handicap chase.
Neil Mulholland enjoyed a bumper success over at Punchestown during the week and he intentionally gave his seven-year-old a mid-season break, due to his preference for decent ground. He didn’t come to hand in time to take his chance at Cheltenham and the trainer’s patience can be rewarded here, having teed up a crack at this with an easy success at Fontwell just 17 days ago. The selection remains potentially fairly treated on a mark of 146 and a big run looks on the cards, with him arriving here much fresher than most.
In the concluding contest, both Thomas Campbell and Limited Reserve hold strong claims and it is no surprise to see them towards the head of the market at the time of writing – the latter came in for some early support on Friday evening, opening as big as 16s in a place.
Just 15 minutes later, the Ballymore Handicap Hurdle looks an ever deeper handicap hurdle and one in which owner JP McManus holds a particularly strong hand. Market leader Scoir Mear was an eye-catcher in the Coral Cup but hasn’t been missed by the compilers, Dream Berry and Geordie Des Champs both ran solid races at Aintree, and Protek Des Flos looked in need of the run when returning at Huntingdon back in February – he has enjoyed a light campaign and might be capable of going well at rewarding odds.
Saturday’s selection:
4:45 Sandown Shantou Village 7/2 Skybet
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