Jake Price's Saturday Racing Tips at Sandown

ONLY ONE BLUE 1pt Win

Best price 11/2 at the time of publishing.

Trainer Max Comley will be hoping for a big Saturday with plenty of chances across both Hereford and Sandown, and his Filly in the opener ONLY ONE BLUE surely has to have strong claims considering her form is working out left right and centre.

This Juvenile won her Maiden at Sedgefield in October when scuttling away in the closing stages, before then running well under a penalty at Hereford in November – where she was only narrowly beaten by Love Sonnet (116) who went on to boost the form by winning again next time out.

Connections took their chance at Listed level in December, and once again this Filly did her best work in the closing stages when running on strongly for third place – but nobody was able to get to Lord (126) that day. This race is directly relevant to Saturday’s contest however, as Bibe Mus finished in second when trained by Ross O’Sullivan. He has since joined Paul Nicholls so could improve, but our selection will be a massive 10lbs better off at the weights this time around, despite only finishing 3 lengths behind.

We last saw ONLY ONE BLUE at Chepstow towards the end of January in another Juvenile Hurdle, and once more she ran a big race. She wasn’t receiving the full 7lbs allowance due to her Sedgefield win, but she ran extremely well for third against the boys. That form has worked out very nicely too, with the second Senator (112) winning at Market Rasen, and the fourth Misterdoc (125) winning at Ludlow since.

Left on an official rating of 110 despite two really nice runs against the opposite sex on her previous two outings, regular rider Tom Broughton also jumps back aboard here to claim a further 5lbs off her back on handicap debut. Her position in the market relative to the favourite makes no sense at the time of writing, and I would imagine she will be well supported before the off. She will surely love the Sandown hill.

CINQUENTA 1pt EW (5 Places)

Best price 14/1 at the time of publishing.

As ever this is a very competitive EBF Final, but at a massive price I thought that Jamie Snowden’s CINQUENTA was worth an each/way play, as he has developed quite nicely this season and put in by far his best performance to date when last seen at Market Rasen 34 days ago in a qualifier for this race.

He was probably a bit too backwards to win a Bumper, but his third place behind No Drama This End and Keops Des Bordes at Warwick reads very well now, and his subsequent third to Gaelic Pride and General Briar doesn’t look too bad either, as both have won races over timber this season.

On Hurdles debut at Lingfield in November this lad ran to a very good level, as on his first start after a wind operation he was only beaten half a length by Gatineau Park (125) – who has since finished second to Hold The Serve and could yet boost the form at Ayr (13:32) on Saturday. Jamie Snowden’s gelding jumped well for the main, but did correct himself to the right, which wouldn’t have helped at a left-handed track. He rallied nicely in the closing stages, and also had the promising Giantsgrave behind.

When returning to Lingfield in December connections decided to drop him back in trip to two miles. They popped him off out in front, but the second last flight was omitted which really didn’t help as

he was jumping immaculately on this occasion. He looked the winner at a fair few stages, but the race developed into a bit of a sprint (finishing speed percentages of over 106%), and Precious Metal (118) was just able to hold off our selection by a neck. Essentially then his jumping was what gave him a fighting chance, but the trip was just that bit too short.

When he went to the right-handed track of Market Rasen and was stepped back up in trip to 2m4½f last month everything clicked however, and once more he put in a ridiculous round of jumping. The data says that he gained a massive 8.52 lengths on the field, and if you watch the performance back, he was foot perfect at almost every flight. I liked that he was happy to take a lead too, and wasn’t fighting for his head.

Going out onto the second circuit Gavin Sheehan took up the running as the early leader faded tamely, and turning for home he was travelling all over his rivals. After a couple of slaps down the neck when they got to his giths he shot away from the field, and his leap at the last was a thing of beauty before he recorded an eased down 8.5 length success over Gee Force Flyer (116).

The handicapper duly put him up 8lbs for winning that Novice Hurdle so easily, but I don’t think that a mark of 125 is beyond him – with more improvement surely to come now. The track, trip and ground are all set to suit CINQUENTA well at Sandown on Saturday, and Jamie Snowden (somehow) won this race last year with Laurens Bay too. I think he is very much overpriced. It is worth noting that this race has been in mind for him since before he even ran over Hurdles.

CALIMYSTIC 1pt Win

Best price 4/1 at the time of publishing.

This 3m Handicap Chase looks quite a weak race on paper, but CALIMYSTIC is still very unexposed over fences after winning on debut. If continuing his progression, I can see him taking a bit of beating here.

This half-brother to Angels Breath showed plenty of promise over hurdles, finishing second to George’s Lad at Doncaster last January, before bolting up over the same course and distance a month later. He severely disappointed at the Ayr Festival on handicap debut, but that was a hot enough race and you can forgive any horse one bad run.

Making his Chase debut at Newbury on the 29th December over 2m6½f, I thought he put in a very accomplished round despite not being the biggest framed horse you’ll see. He travelled nicely in behind the leaders, and when the taps began to turn he was travelling stronger than anything. After popping the second last he was left out iin front, and that is a long way home at Newbury – but despite idling somewhat, he was always doing enough to hold off the challenge of Captain Bellamy (121).

Considering the way he raced at Newbury you would expect that stepping up in trip to three miles should suit him well on some decent ground, and a 4lbs rise to a mark of 122 should not be a barrier to success. Nico de Boinville takes the ride again, and Nicky Henderson has been on a great run of form lately with 5 winners from his last 15 runners.