A Summer's Evening at Sandown — Don't Be Fooled by the Sunshine

Right, pull up a stool and listen close, because summer jumping gets a bad rap and I'm here to tell you that's not always deserved. Sandown Park is putting on six races this Tuesday evening and while the calendar might say the end of June, there's genuine interest dotted throughout the Sandown Park racecard if you know where to look.

Now, the going. Good to Firm, Good in places — and on a summer evening at Sandown, you can expect that top surface to ride every bit as quick as it sounds. This is not a track that retains moisture, and with the sun having done its worst in Surrey over recent weeks, we're talking about a surface that will suit your athletic, nippy types over your big, lumbering mud-lovers. Stamina pedigrees matter less tonight than they would on a soft winter's day; what you want is a horse that travels well, jumps fluently, and doesn't need the ground to be doing half the work for him. Keep that firmly in mind as we work through the card.

Feature Race: The ROA/RSA Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (18:18)

With the highest class rating on the card — a Class 3 worth £15,000 — the opening novices' limited handicap chase over 2m 213y is your feature race this evening, and with only three runners, it's as clear a dissection job as you'll get all year.

Tellherthename (7yo, rated 138) is the one they all have to beat. Dan Skelton has him primed, and Kielan Woods takes the ride — a combination that doesn't turn up at a track like this without meaning business. He's a course and distance winner, which on Good to Firm ground at Sandown is no small thing. This track has a stiff finish that catches out the idle ones, and a horse that's already won here has proven he sees it out. At a mark of 138, he's giving away lumps to both rivals, but the quality differential feels real.

Captain Cool (6yo, rated 122) for Jennie Candlish and Luke Scott is the most interesting alternative. He holds both course and distance form — that [C,D] flag is not to be dismissed lightly — and Luke Scott is a rider who deserves far more attention than he gets from the southern punting public. The 16-pound pull in the weights with the favourite is significant, and if Tellherthename has any chink in his armour on this faster surface, Captain Cool could exploit it. I wouldn't be writing him off.

Ice In The Veins (6yo, rated 115) for Sarah-Jayne Davies and James Best faces a stiff task on these terms, but Best is a tidy pilot and 23 pounds below the top weight means he's not without a shout if the race falls apart. Still, in a three-runner race, you need something to go wrong — and I'm not sure it will.

Verdict: Tellherthename to win, Captain Cool to place. Wouldn't be putting the house on an each-way play in a three-runner, mind you.

Key Runners to Watch Across the Card

Square d'Alboni — 18:48 Maiden Hurdle

The maiden hurdle over 2m 2f 148y has eight runners, none of them rated, and picking a winner from an unraced or lightly-raced bunch on fast ground is an exercise in educated guesswork. But I'll tell you what — when Harry Skelton turns up for Dan Skelton in a race like this, you prick your ears up. Square d'Alboni is the one I want on my side. The Skelton operation doesn't waste Harry's time on horses without ability, and a summer maiden hurdle at Sandown is exactly the kind of race they target with a well-schooled type ready to go. The Good to Firm ground suits a horse that's likely been working on decent surfaces at home.

Stan Sheppard takes the ride on Connemara Joe for Matt Sheppard, and that's a combination worth a second glance — a confident booking from a yard that knows what they have. Jack Andrews on Colibri Bleu for Tom Ellis is another that could outrun any big price, but I'm siding with the Skelton machine.

Jackstell — 19:18 Handicap Hurdle

The 2m 6f handicap hurdle is a decent puzzle. Jackstell (rated 115, Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan) heads the weights and is a horse I've had a soft spot for. Snowden is quietly excellent at placing his horses, and Sheehan is a man who rides a strong finish — important at Sandown where the uphill run-in separates the genuine stayers from the flatterers. On Good to Firm ground over this trip, I'd want to know he handles it, but Snowden wouldn't run him if he didn't.

Prince de Juilley (rated 110, Alastair Ralph/Ciaran Gethings) catches the eye with that [C,D] badge — course and distance form is gold dust on an evening like this. Nine-year-olds can be tricky, but this lad knows every blade of grass at Sandown and Gethings is a competent handler.

Delpotro — 20:18 Handicap Chase

In the Class 4 handicap chase over 2m 3f 98y, Delpotro (6yo, rated 105, Charlie Longsdon/Sean Bowen) is the one I'm most sweet on across the entire card. A distance winner [D] ridden by Sean Bowen — who is, let's be honest, one of the best jump jockeys in the country right now — for a trainer who knows how to have one ready. The Good to Firm ground suits a scopey chaser that jumps clean, and Longsdon's horses tend to arrive fit. Lady Kara (rated 112, top weight) has course and distance form too, and the Newland/Insole combination have had her going well, but I'll take Delpotro at what should be a better price.

Going Conditions: Who Benefits, Who Suffers

Good to Firm at Sandown in late June is about as testing as fast ground gets for a jumper. The track's undulations and that famous uphill finish mean you need a horse that's athletic and economical in the air — a clumsy jumper will pay a heavy price on this surface, losing momentum at every fence or hurdle. Stamina pedigrees are less critical tonight than a clean jumping technique and a good cruising speed. Horses dropping back in trip or those bred on the Flat side of National Hunt breeding could outperform expectations. Conversely, your big, heavy-topped horses who rely on soft ground to get into a rhythm will find this hard work. Take note: any horse that's been running on deep winter ground and hasn't been seen since March should be treated with extreme caution.

Best Bets & Ones to Watch — Tom's Summary

  • Best Bet: Tellherthename (18:18) — Top-rated, course and distance winner, Skelton/Woods don't travel for fun. Back him with confidence.
  • Each-Way Shout: Delpotro (20:18) — Sean Bowen, distance form, decent price likely. This is my each-way play of the night.
  • One to Watch: Square d'Alboni (18:48) — Harry Skelton booking in a maiden hurdle. Enough said, so it is.
  • Interesting Outsider: Captain Cool (18:18) — 16lb below the favourite, course and distance form, Luke Scott at the helm. If Tellherthename has an off night, this fella will be there to collect.
  • Trainer to Follow: Dan Skelton — He has runners in four of the six races tonight. When Skelton loads up a card like this, the man has a plan. Watch the market moves carefully.

There you have it — six races, fast ground, and a Skelton takeover bid on a Tuesday evening in Surrey. It's not Cheltenham, but it's jumping, and jumping is jumping. Get yourself on the Sandown Park racecard, have a look at the markets as they firm up, and enjoy the evening. I'll be watching Delpotro with a pint in hand and everything crossed. Good luck to you all.