Sandown Tips: Saturday Best Bets from Architect for Jump Finale

Cannock Park, 0.5 pts E/W, 20/1, 5 places 

CANNOCK PARK (best price 20/1) is overpriced on handicap debut in the ITV opener at Sandown, the bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle, with five places available.

I’m quite surprised Paul Robson’s charge isn’t matched closer to favouritism on a strict reading of his form to date. If he were trained by a more notable stable, he would be shorter. 

He confirmed the promise of his debut second when scoring second time out in a bumper at Bangor and has looked even better since going over hurdles with a win and three placed efforts. 

After toughing it out to make a successful hurdles debut at Cheltenham, he then exceeded market expectations to finish an excellent third in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Aintree. 

That form has been positively advertised, with the first, Jango Baie, subsequently finishing second in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting from a mark of 139.

As well as that, the runner-up from that Grade 1 race, Favour And Fortune, subsequently won the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr, so the form unquestionably has a rock-solid look about it.

On that basis, he must be well-handicapped off a mark of 131, and despite being turned over last time out at Newbury, he still ran well, and this race will be run to suit him better. 

He also ran really well when he only finished a length behind Jango Baie when third in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso. I think he has a seriously good each-way chance, at least. 

Fiercely Proud, 0.5 pts E/W, 15/2

Ben Pauling’s FIERCELY PROUD (best price 15/2) must enter the reckoning for the bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle upon assessment of his form thus far. 

This handicap debutant did well in bumpers, achieving success on two occasions before he was deemed good enough to contest the championship bumpers at Aintree and Cheltenham last season. 

Since going hurdling, he’s won two of his four starts and finished third and second in a pair of Grade 2 races behind Lump Sum. An opening handicap debut mark of 130 is very lenient on balance.

His trainer and rider have had a fantastic season, and this five-year-old appears to have been saved for this race after bypassing all of the big festivals this time around. I think he will go very close. 

Five places generally available.

Magic Memories, 0.5 pts E/W, 8/1

Al Mubhir won the Madri Excepcional King Richard III Cup Handicap twelve months ago, but he’s 7Ib higher this time, and I much prefer the chances of the Gary Moore-trained MAGIC MEMORIES (best price 8/1). 

Last year, he deservedly got his head in front at Brighton when he capitalised on the drop in grade. He then caught the eye with a late surge to take third place at Newmarket and did very well to only be beaten by a couple of lengths considering he blew the start and forfeited plenty of ground. 

His fitness will be up to scratch now too, having shaped well in defeat when he finished a staying-on fifth of 18 in the Spring Mile at Doncaster on his seasonal debut last month. I thought he was a bit unlucky as well, as he was hampered at one stage of the race. 

He was behind a couple of these that day, but he’s a lot better off at the weights this time with conditions to suit. Jack Enright claims an additional 7Ib, meaning he will have minimum weight on his back from an unchanged mark to last time. He’s a major player, surely. 

Hitman, 1.5pts WIN, 3/1

HITMAN (best price 3/1) could stamp his class on his rivals in the bet365 Oaksey Chase. He struggled in the Ryanair last time out, having finished third in the race a year earlier, but Paul Nicholls is bullish about his chances here. 

The eight-year-old doesn’t win that often, but his penultimate second to Shishkin in the Grade 2 Denman Chase over three miles at Newbury is top-class, and the drying ground over this slightly shorter distance will suit. 

He comes out best at the weights, and he has course form in the book courtesy of his second-place finish in the 2021 Tingle Creek Chase, in which he was a place in front of subsequent Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness.

The fact that he’s only won three times during his time with Paul Nicholls doesn’t really do him any justice because he’s made the frame numerous times at the highest level and won’t get many better opportunities than this one. 

Al Dancer, 1pt WIN, 8/1

I find it rather interesting to see the veteran AL DANCER (best price 8/1) line up against this calibre of opponents in the bet365 Oaksey Chase. 

Despite his age, he is no back number and is actually the only runner in the field to still be in reasonably good form, and that will count for plenty.

He’s been in great form this season, winning on his return at Chepstow prior to making the frame in his next three starts, including a gallant second in the Coral Trophy last time. 

Dylan Johnston got a fine tune out of the grey, who set the fractions throughout and was only headed in the closing stages over the three-mile distance. 

He was giving the winner lumps of weight, and Sam Thomas has deliberately bypassed all of the major festivals in order to keep him fresher for this contest. 

His very assured jumping will be a vital asset around this course, and his handler is in very good form, which is a bonus. He’s not far off the best of these on ratings and should make a bold bid. 

Tacarib Bay, 0.5 pts E/W, 9/1

Rainbow Fire took this race twelve months ago, but this is a much deeper renewal, and he will do well to overcome the likes of TACARIB BAY (best price 9/1) who should be at peak fitness and can make a serious impact. 

Richard Hannon’s five-year-old, who has two course wins to his name, is back on the same mark as when he won over course and distance a couple of seasons ago. He will be ready for this after a couple of spins on the all-weather in recent weeks and has plenty of back-class. 

He did well to overcome traffic issues and beat the 106-rated Sense Of Duty in the listed Wentworth Stakes at Newcastle in November, and that is the strongest piece of form. With conditions holding no fear, everything looks in place for a massive performance. 

Sparks Fly, 1pt WIN, 7/1

The prolific SPARKS FLY (best price 7/1) from the David Loughnane team has an outstanding record on the turf in handicap company, which reads impressive statistics of 1111111! Her only defeat on the surface was when she contested a listed race at York. 

She’s a filly who loves a bit of juice on the ground, and the drop-in trip to seven furlongs will suit her as she stays further and likes to be ridden handy in her races. She’s up to a career-high mark of 107, but she has plenty in her favour and must be respected. 

Sir Gerhard, 0.5 pts E/W, 9/1

Impaire Et Passe is the pick of Paul Townend in the bet365 Select Hurdle on the back of his Aintree Hurdle success, but this is a quick turnaround after a hard race, and I cannot help but feel his stablemate SIR GERHARD (best price 9/1) has been overlooked in the market. 

This nine-year-old has won nine of his 16 starts and is a former two-time Cheltenham Festival winner. His form was mixed over fences last season, and he was very disappointing when well beaten in the Stayers’ Hurdle, but he returned an easy winner last time out, and he remains a very high-class horse.

The ground will suit, as will the trip. Incidentally, the last time he ran over this trip, it resulted in an easy win in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival two years ago. Patrick Mullins will take the ride, and I’m quite optimistic he will run well. He has the class to beat them if he can channel his inner ability. 

Glory And Honour, 0.5 pts E/W, 20/1, 4 places with Bet365 and SkyBet

The most appealing proposition in the Bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase from a betting point of view is GLORY AND HONOUR (best price 20/1), who is as consistent as they come and can end his season on a high. 

He’s not been out of the places in all eight of his chase starts, and his form ties in closely with subsequent Aintree winner Cruz Control, whom he beat at Doncaster back in December. He had previously finished second to that same rival off-level weights at Newcastle, so the form has deep substance. 

The latter is now rated in the 140s, so Sam England’s charge remains well treated from a mark of 129. I would have him much shorter in the betting for this race, so the double-figure digits available are more than attractive, especially with Bet365 and Skybet paying four places. 

Authorised Speed, 0.5 pts E/W, 11/1 

Course specialist AUTHORISED SPEED (best price 11/1) is my recommended selection in the finale at Sandown, the bet365 Handicap Hurdle. 

It’s not been a plain-sailing season for Gary Moore’s seven-year-old, who has fallen in two of his three chase starts. However, his latest assignment came in the Arkle, and he was all but set to score on his chase debut at Ascot before he fell at the second last fence. 

Without a doubt, those falls have knocked his confidence, but he reverts back to hurdles in a much easier race from a really workable mark of 134. Not only that, but he boats two-course wins, and his only blip here was when he was a heavy favourite for last year’s Tolworth Hurdle. 

He remains a very smart prospect, and after just five starts over hurdles, he is open to improvement. The ground will suit him, as will the trip, having beaten the 150-rated Broadway Boy on his hurdles debut over the distance. 

He makes plenty of appeal in the last race, with most bookmakers offering a generous five places.