Sandown’s Saturday card headlines the final ITV racing slot before the Cheltenham Festival begins on Tuesday and the Imperial Cup is the major race of interest.
There is also the EBF Final, another race with a rich history, and two other live races at the Esher track on the ITV broadcast.
Our expert, Clive Gildon, is on hand to provide three selections with analysis at Sandown on Saturday.
1.50 - EBF Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final (2m4f)
The EBF Final has an excellent record at producing high-class future stayers and Elysian Knight is taken to follow in their footsteps for Neil Mulholland.
Elysian Knight was a surprise 40/1 winner of a Ffos Las maiden hurdle two starts back and did it comfortably.
The form has worked out excellently, with subsequent victories for the second, fourth (twice) a sixth.
It is worth forgiving Elysian Knight, a close relative to a Mulholland-trained three-miler, for his subsequent third at Fakenham as he was given too much to do from off a modest pace around a tight track. He shaped better than the result that day and the stiffness of Sandown will help bring his stamina into play.
Ben Pauling saddled the first two home in the previous running and his It’s Hard To Know is another interesting prospect. He takes a big drop in class after struggling in the Grade 1 Challow last time.
SELECTION: ELYSIAN KNIGHT
NEXT BEST: IT’S HARD TO KNOW
2.25 - Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (2m)
Bo Zenith was a big eyecatcher two starts back at Cheltenham for a race that wasn’t run to suit and this former smart juvenile may be seen to better effect under more aggressive tactics than have been deployed the last twice.
There is a sense he isn’t an out-and-out two-miler, though, and perhaps Spirits Bay will possess too much speed for him.
Nigel Twiston-Davies loves to target this race, having saddled the winners in 2016 and 2018, and perhaps this has been Spirits Bay’s major aim.
Spirits Bay clashed with Bo Zenith at Cheltenham’s December meeting and was another to enter the notebook. The winner was given an enterprising ride up front by Luke Scott and Spirits Bay paid the price for making a big move to catch him too early.
He has since proved his well-being by splitting higher-rated rivals in the International Hurdle and one of these will eventually fall his way.
SELECTION: SPIRITS BAY
NEXT BEST: BO ZENITH
3.35 - Handicap Chase (3m)
It was a surprise to see Hubrisko open up as the outsider of the field for the 3m handicap chase.
Hubrisko has only raced three times for Harry Derham and produced comfortably his best effort yet for this team when a fair fourth at Market Rasen last time.
His stable debut at Newbury over hurdles on Coral Gold Cup day appeared to be a pipe opener, while the yard was badly out of form in January when he found two miles much too sharp at Ffos Las.
Derham’s runners are faring better now and Hubrisko is well treated on his Irish form for Willie Mullins.
Still only eight and lightly raced over fences, the selection appears to be building up to a bigger effort for a trainer who excels with new recruits.
Goshen is another who can go well. He excels on right-handed tracks (particularly Sandown) and his past two chase efforts have been encouraging.
SELECTION: HUBRISKO
NEXT BEST: GOSHEN
