IRISH horses everywhere today. Of course, most of them are at Leopardstown, for the first day of a scintillating Dublin Racing Festival (with people this time, with atmosphere, fantastic), but the Irish are on their travels too.

John McConnell has sent a handful of runners to Musselburgh, where Bardenstown Lad will be joined by the Gordon Elliott-trained Where It All Began in the three-runner Bet365 Scottish Stayers’ Novices’ Hurdle, and Emmet Mullins has sent Noble Yeats to Wetherby for the Grade 2 William Hill Towton Chase. Also, Peter Fahey has sent Born Patriot to Sandown for the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle.

Born Patriot has a chance too. He hasn’t won since he sprang an 80/1 shock on his racecourse debut at Punchestown in November last season, but he has run some good races in defeat in the interim, including last time, when he stayed on well to take second place behind Kansas City Chief in a Pertemps qualifier at Cheltenham’s October meeting last time. Kansas City Chief is now rated 11lb higher than he was then, and Born Patriot could have a little bit in hand of the handicapper now, racing off a mark of 135, just 3lb higher than the mark off which he raced in October.

But Call Me Lord could have even more in hand of the handicapper, racing off a mark of 144. That is 16lb lower than his peak, when he finished second in the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle in November 2019, and followed up by winning the Grade 2 International Hurdle at Cheltenham the following month.

Of course, that was over two years ago, and there is a reason why his mark has dropped since, but his last two runs last season were good and, after starting off this season with two forgettable runs over fences, he ran a big race at Kempton last time, returned to hurdles in the Lanzarote Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s horse raced in mid-division that day, and he travelled well through his race until the leaders got away from him a little on the run around the home turn. He stayed on well over the final two flights though to take third place behind Cobblers Dream.

That was a race in which the pace held up well. The other three horses who, with Call Me Lord, filled the first four places all raced handily from flagfall. He was the only horse who was able to get into the race from mid-division or worse. Also, he raced that day as if he could benefit from a step up in trip, so he could appreciate going three miles today.

He should also appreciate the return to Sandown. All his best form is at Ascot and Sandown, and his record at the Esher track reads 1121323.

The handicapper left him on his mark of 144 after the Lanzarote Hurdle, and that was more than fair. Also, James Bowen gets on well with him, and was seen to good effect in the Call Me Lord (Simon Munir/Issac Souede) colours at Kelso on Thursday when he steered Saint D’Oroux to victory for Stuart Crawford.

Contenders

Song For Someone is a logical favourite for the Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle earlier on the Sandown card, but two miles on good to soft ground at Sandown might be a sharper test than ideal for Tom Symonds’ horse. His best runs have been over two and a half miles at Ascot, or over an extended two miles on soft ground at Cheltenham, and he was under pressure from a long way out before staying on to finish second behind Guard Your Dreams in the Grade 2 International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December the last time we saw him.

He is 6lb better off with Guard Your Dreams today, and that should obviously bring them closer together, but Guard Your Dreams travelled well through his race that day, and he should be well able to cope with today’s sharper test. Also, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse is one for one at Sandown, he won a handicap hurdle on heavy ground there last January over today’s course and distance, and he should probably be closer to Song For Someone in the betting than he is.

Goshen is obviously interesting, back going right-handed, given how close he got to Brewin’upastorm and Darver Star going the wrong way around at Lingfield last time, and he is two for two at Sandown: he won on the flat there and he won a juvenile hurdle there. But both of those wins were on soft ground, and it may be that he will need more rain to fall if he is going to get the better of Song For Someone and Guard Your Dreams.

Global Citizen and Hunters Call have their chances – the 12-year-old Hunters Call was only a length behind Guard Your Dreams in the International Hurdle and, like Song For Someone, he is 6lb better off with him today – but, at current prices, with the track and the ground in his favour, Guard Your Dreams may be the value.

Recommended

Guard Your Dreams, 1 pt win, 1.50 Sandown, 11/4 (generally)

Call Me Lord, 1 pt e/w, 2.55 Sandown, 9/1 (generally)

One of Donn’s two recommended bets last week, Torn And Frayed (SP 5/1), won the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.