Sandown Saturday

1.25 Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 3f 173y

Sole Solution was 2-2 in bumpers when the ground was testing and is an obvious starting point in a handicap which is not as competitive as it might be on paper. His second to Sixmilebridge at Leicester has been underscored by the latter’s win at Cheltenham last weekend, and he stepped up on that bare form with a win at Hereford where he looked strongest at the finish.

At bigger odds, it’s worth giving Leech a second look based on his useful heavy-ground bumper-winning form from Chepstow around a year ago.

He looks well treated off a mark of just 99 here on that basis, and while he’s shown little in qualifying runs over timber, this quick switch to handicaps is likely to show him in a much better light, and the Williams yard landed a nice touch at Uttoxeter last week – well, somebody did, even if Evan seemed completely nonplussed by the whole affair.

2.00 Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase

1m 7f 99y

There is no doubt that Etalon is well handicapped as is demonstrated by the fact he slammed Gunsight Ridge by an easy nine lengths over course and distance last February and is somehow able to meet that rival on better terms today.

This season has been one of underachievement for Dan Skelton’s eight-year-old, but Skelton has a well-earned reputation for reviving such horses in time for the spring festivals.

In my view, Etalon will soon leave this season’s form behind and meets a few rivals here who are undoubtedly high in the weights now, so this looks a good opportunity, but my gut feeling is that a breathing op between now and the Grand Annual may be the catalyst for that return to form and it’s a watching brief here with that in mind.

2.35 Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f 10y

A race to savour but not one to bet in with the prices as they are. The top three in the betting are all useful recruits to fences, with both Django Baie and Kalif Du Berlais impressing at Cheltenham on their most recent starts. Preference is for the former, whose defeat of Springwell Bay is the most solid form on offer, but the market reflects that.

3.07 Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle 2m 7f 98y

Dartmoor Pirate was a good fourth in the EBF Final here last March, staying on well up the hill to be beaten just over four lengths, and that form has continued to work out very well this season.

He failed to take to fences – somewhat surprisingly given his physique – when well behind Billytherealbigred at Exeter but ran as well as he ever has when reverting to hurdles in a Pertemps qualifier at Wincanton on St Stephen’s Day, finishing second to Thomas Mor over an extended two miles, seven furlongs and again giving the impression that stamina is his forte. Stamina will certainly be needed on very deep ground here, and the likes of Red Dirt Road and Goshen will ensure a solid pace.

The latter has become disappointing, but Red Dirt Road could be dangerous if he stays as well as some of his siblings. The son of Fame And Glory hasn’t taken much racing and is yet to race beyond two and three-quarter miles but is bred to stay well and made all in relentless fashion to score at Aintree in December.

It’s possible that he simply had the run of things from the front that day and an easy lead is unlikely here, which tempers confidence. Perhaps the biggest threat given the prospect of a contested pace on deep ground is Deep Cave, who ran his best race for Christian Williams when two and a quarter-lengths fourth of 12 to Titan Discovery in a three-mile handicap at Windsor last time where he lacked the acceleration of the winner in a tactical race, but looked like a proper slog would bring about further improvement.

He’ll surely get that here, and the Williams stable – always strongest in the spring - has shown signs of hitting top gear in recent weeks.

3.42 Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase 3m 37y

In d’Or stays three miles and acts on heavy ground but I’m not sure the combination will bring out the best in him, while he’s a stone higher in the weights than when winning at Taunton in November.

There was a strong hint that the race was run to suit him more than his rivals at Ascot last time, and while respected, I can’t bring myself to back him at cramped odds, for all none of his rivals is without blemish.

Dreaming Blue certainly isn’t bred to want this test being by sprinter Showcasing out of a Duke Of Marmalade mare, but he’s defied his breeding to win three of his last five starts at up to three and a quarter miles.

He’s also unbeaten in blinkers with the headgear refitted after a creditable third at Kempton last time. He was unable to dominate there, and is a better performer when able to do so, which looks likely with the only other pace angle in the race being stablemate Gustavian, who will cope well with conditions, but has a poor win record over fences.

Musselburgh Saturday

2.17 Bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle 1m 7f 124y

Florida Dreams did well to win on his reappearance at Hexham in October and off the back of that ran a cracker to be fifth in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November, doing solid late work to finish a creditable fifth behind handicap blot Burdett Road.

Sent off favourite at Aintree last time in the race won by Red Dirt Road, he found the combination of two and a half miles on soft ground too much for him and a return to his optimum conditions should see him go close for a stable which has been ticking along very nicely.

2.50 Bet365 Scottish Champion Chase 2m 4f 68y

Marble Sands has been running well this winter, and this looks an excellent opportunity for him to get back to winning ways after a creditable effort to finish second to Springwell Bay at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

The winner was effectively ahead of his mark that day due to the intricacies of the handicap system for novices (assessor unable to change his mark after his second to Django Baie there in December), and that was a fine run, which followed another good effort when third in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.

Prior to the Rehearsal, Marble Sands had landed the Colin Parker Memorial at Carlisle on his return, and with two and a half miles on soft ground looking ideal for him, the son of Martaline is expected to return to winning ways at the main expense of The Kalooki Kid.

Recommended:

Dartmoor Pirate 3.07 Sandown – 1pt win 9/1 (Bet365 - 17/2 Ladbrokes, Coral)

Deep Cave 3.07 Sandown – 1pt win 9/1 (Ladbrokes - 17/2 Coral, BetVictor)

Florida Dreams 2.17 Musselburgh – 1pt win 5/1 (Bet365 - 9/2 Ladbrokes, Coral)

Marble Sands 2.50 Musselburgh – 1pt win 11/2 (Bet365 - 5/1 general)