Thursday’s UK racing tips come your way from the meeting at Sandown on 15 February 2024.
SANDOWN
Race 2 – ETALON 11/8
Dan Skelton’s ETALON faced something of a victory lap last time out, when he won by 44 lengths at Warwick, but we learnt more about him on his chasing debut at Newbury.
A useful hurdler, he jumped with aplomb that day, looking anything but a novice and it must have been hard for the handicapper.
He put him up 7lb but last time out he only faced one rival and duly saw him off with ease. Up another 4lb for this tougher test, he could still have plenty in hand in the Team Forces ‘Ubique’ Handicap Chase.
Race 3 – SMILING GETAWAY 9/2
SMILING GETAWAY has a bit to find on the official ratings ahead of the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle but she has done nothing wrong to date.
Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies now, she was a point-to-point winner before having well over a year off ahead of her one and only run for Dan Skelton.
She finished fourth in a Southwell bumper and was off for almost another year before moving on to Twiston-Davies.
Unfancied for her hurdling debut at Ludlow in December, she won comfortably and a month later went to Warwick where she was even more impressive under a penalty.
Immediately after that success this Grade Two was nominated as her target, she stays this two-and-a-half-mile trip well and handles cut in the ground, so there are no negatives.
Race 5 – VICTORIA MILANO 11/10
VICTORIA MILANO is one to watch in the Right Of The Line ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle, especially given there’s only five runners.
He backed up a hurdling debut success at Ludlow with a second on return from a 110 day lay-off at Warwick.
He teams up again with Jack Tudor, who was his jockey at Warwick and after that run he is fitter now and should go well here.
Race 6 – HUDSON DE GRUGY 9/2
Gary Moore’s horses seem to go well at Sandown and HUDSON DE GRUGY is of interest in the Spectra Group Alanbrooke Handicap Chase.
A four-time winner here, he was having his first run since a wind operation when third at the Esher venue last time out.
It was a solid comeback and he is now down to the same mark off which he won a premier handicap at the track last season.
