1.45 Sandown

Virgin Bet Handicap Chase, 1m7½f

SAM HARDY

1 Eclair D’Ainay

2 Dolos

3 Frero Banbou

Although no rain is forecast at Sandown this week, I am hoping connections of Eclair D’Ainay take their chance with the lightly raced nineyear-old. The form of his latest third at Wetherby looks solid with the winner and sixth-placed horse both going on to win next time out. He has dropped 1lb for that run and is potentially well-handicapped here in a similar race.

JAMES HILL

1 Dolos

2 Haddex Des Obeaux

3 Red Rookie

Dolos’s record in this race reads 21121, and they might be naming it after him on Saturday and he’s got another first-rate chance. He’s 3lb higher than last year, but the yard was bang out of form then, and Dolos himself has been running well this term. He’ll be finely tuned for this assignment. It’s a quality running and I’ve long been a fan of Red Rookie, but they’re all going to have to goto beat him.

MADDY PLAYLE

1 Haddex Des Obeaux

2 Dolos

3 Red Rookie

Dolos has won three of the last four runnings of this race and finished second in the other one, but this year he may have to give way to the rapidly improving Haddex Des Obeaux. The Gary Moore-trained chaser took his form to a new level when bolting up at Warwick last time and should be fiercely competitive again.

STUART REDDING

1 Dolos

2 Haddex Des Obeaux

3 Red Rookie

Dolos has already won this race three times and has a great chance of striking again. He hasn’t won anywhere else since May 2019 but comes alive here and was far too good for seven rivals in last year’s renewal. Paul Nicholls’ charge wasn’t beaten far behind Editeur Du Gite at Kempton on Boxing Day and will appreciate returning to handicap company.