4.15 Sandown - Trincomalee - Hudson De Grugy
Open looking race where three initially caught my eye but ive settled on two to go with in the end .. TRINCOMALEE was one i backed last time out , hadnt been seen since April 2022 and it showed but i felt that trainer Lucy Wadham was eager to get a run in to it as it had been put into several races which were abandoned , came sixth and tbh didnt show alot but i think after that initial outing he should hopefully strip alot fitter here , has placed on his only start here at Sandown , and though he hasnt won at todays distance he has placed in all three runs over it. The going and class are all okay and despite having not won over the bigger obstacles yet i think he can go well. Tom Cannon in the hot seat and he has a 23.4% strike rate over the last four weeks , and whilst the trainer is having a bit of a barren spell at the moment she can get one ready and does have a 28.6% strike rate here this term. The other one i like is HUDSON DE GRUGY who also came back from a lay off last time out (and after having wind surgery as well) , and managed a decent third over 1m7 1/2f here at Sandown , with that run under his belt i can see a better effort here this afternoon. Despite not having tried this trip before i think hes worth a go at it , and especially here at Sandown where he has a good record - four wins and two places from nine runs. Class and the going isnt an issue and hes now down to his last winning mark , which all says to me that a decent run could well be on the cards. Gary Moore has a 24% strike rate over the last couple of weeks , and his runners have been doing well here this term with a 23.1% strike rate. Whilst jockey Niall Houlihan is also enjoying a purple patch at the moment with a 23% strike rate over the past fortnight , and his travels to Sandown have proved fruitful this season with a 27/3% strike rate. When the trainer and jockey have teamed up over the last three weeks they come away with a 27% strike rate.
7.30 Chelmsford - Masterclass - Blackjack
A few in this look as though they could go well but two in particular catch my eye at what i consider to be decent prices. The first one is MASTERCLASS who was a sound enough third at Southwell last time out , and should be able to make his presence felt here. Has won and placed from three runs over CD , last win coming back in November over CD when he beat Starsong by 3/4 length , David Simcock been seeing alot of the winners enclosure of late with a 24.2% strike rate over the last month , he does well with his runners here with a 16.8% strike rate and the fact he sends just this one to the meeting caught my eye. Alistair Rawlinson in the saddle for the first time , and he has a 16.7% strike rate this season when coming here along with a tidy profit of +£11.00. BLACKJACK is my other selection , has run well both times since coming back from 188 days off , second first time up and then a length third to Kitaab last time out , both those runs were at Southwell over this evenings distance. Has won at todays 6f but as yet not at Chelmsford , where hes placed twice from his two attempts over CD. 3lb claimer Johnny Peate has placed on his sole ride on the horse to date , and has a 14% strike rate over the last couple of weeks. Should be able to make his presence felt and can hopefully put in a decent run.
1.55 Sandown - Gunsight Ridge
Short priced favourite in the Skelton horse , Etalon , and entirely possible that he gets the three timer up but at the prices im willing to give the Olly Murphy trained GUNSIGHT RIDGE a go. Was running a stormer last time out when returning to action after 406 days off , disputing the lead when tipping up four from home , if standing up could well of gone in so i think that this could well be a retrieval race. Has a win and a place from two runs at the course , and though he is now 9 years old he only has eight chase races under his saddle , winning two of them and placing in a further three so even though hes getting on theres a chance that there could be more to come. Has gone well from this sort of mark before and the fact that the trainer is in tip top form with a 35% strike rate over the last two weeks gives me hope that he has his horses in good order and a better showing could be on the cards from the selection today. Jockey Sean Bowen takes the ride and hes won on the horse before and when hes ridden for Murphy over the last three weeks the pair have a 33% strike rate.
