AWAY from the headline action on Sandown’s Jumps Finale card, the Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm) has attracted a competitive field of unexposed hurdlers.
It looks unlikely that the race will fill up at this stage, so I’m dipping into the ante-post market with two selections for the two-mile contest now.
The first of those is the promising MINELLA YOGA for Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls.
His only defeat so far came at the hands of Maestro Conti on Cheltenham Trials Day, but he didn’t handle the softer going that afternoon. He proved better ground was his bag when he bolted up next time at Taunton on a sounder surface, and there are bits of form that indicate he’s well-in off a mark of 132.
He beat Act Of Innocence second time up at Newbury, granted in receipt of over a stone, but that rival has since come out and finished second in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with the likes of subsequent Aintree winner Zeus Power in behind.
Quotes of 6/1 look worth snapping up now, and hopefully he can deliver the Cobden and Nicholls partnership a winner before Cobden takes on the JP McManus job.
There is one that catches the eye at a bigger price, and that’s GNOMON for the Toby Lawes team.
He has been on the go for some time but looks to take his racing well and broke his streak of second-placed finishes when winning at Ascot last time.
He saw the trip out well that day and looks to be off a workable mark for a stable in form.
At 14/1, he is worthy of an each-way bet.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Minella Yoga e/w 1.45pm Sandown
Gnomon e/w 1.45pm Sandown
#Nicholls #Yoga #stretch #Sandown #rivals