The Mandarin’s Saturday Selections for 8th March 2025

The Mandarin’s Sandown Park Racecard for Saturday 8th March

Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 1.15
Melon
Two from three in Juvenile Hurdles gives Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s Melon the bragging rights for the opener. He did come up short in a Listed race at Chepstow that those two wins bookended, so this return to a handicap looks an easier task. Melon beat the re-opposing Narragansett at Wetherby, and there’s no change in the weights with Melon once again giving that rival 7lbs, so no obvious reason to expect a reversal, while Gary & Josh Moore’s Risk It All looks an improver and can make the frame. Melon to win and make it three from four.

European Breeders’ Fund Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final (Premier Handicap) 1.50
Meetmebythsea
It should pay to side with Ben Pauling’s Meetmebythesea for this Premier Handicap, though it’s a deep field with The Kemble Brewery and Belliano lining up. Won by Ben Pauling last year, and he’s put on Callum Pritchard whose 5lb claim adds to the appeal, and puts him on better terms with Belliano, who impressed when trying to take the sting out of The New Lion at Chepstow back in October. Kim Bailey’s top weight The Kemble Brewery will be suited by this step up in trip, but Meetmebythesea has form over him and gets the vote ahead of Belliano.

Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle 2.25
Ooh Betty
A gamble is taken on Ben Clarke’s Ooh Betty to land this valuable prize. She’s got plenty of solid form in the book, winning a Class 3 race here on her seasonal reappearance, and although down the field when quickly turned out later in November at Newbury Park, soon put that run behind her to win at Kempton over Christmas ahead of a few good ones. Ooh Betty’s latest third in a Grade 2 at Ascot was a fine run, and she can get upsides of Sam Thomas’s Lump Sum to win this.

British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed) 3.00
Charisma Cat (nap)
Alan King holds the Ace in the pack here with Charisma Cat. She only lost out by a neck in a Listed race at Market Rasen last time out when bidding for the hat-trick, and with conditions just fine here at Sandown Park, can go one better to make it three from four. Fergal O’Brien’s Dream Shadow doesn’t have much to find on Charisma Cat from their clash in that Market Rasen contest, so these two look the ones to battle it out, with A Path To Ronda also in the mix.

Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase 3.35
Hoe Joly Smoke (nb)
Dan Skelton’s course and distance winner comes with risks attached after bleeding at Newbury, but could be worth taking a chance on if fully recovered. That said, Hoe Joly Smoke was cruising nicely into contention in that Newbury race, so the return here to Sandown Park must put him high on the shortlist. Obviously, Gary & Josh Moore’s Goshen is a class act on his day, and with a strong preference for a right-handed track has to be respected, but whether he can weight away to all this field remains to be seen. Anthony Honeyball’s Dreaming Blue and Nicky Henderson’s Excello complete the list of dangers, but Hoe Joly Smoke gets the nudge.

Betfair Exchange Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 4.10
Don’t Tell Su
Paul Nicholls’ Don’t Tell Su has been a model of consistency over hurdles, and if taking to fences he could be the one to follow. That’s Harry Cobden’s job here, though there’s no better pair of hands to get this Soldier Of Fortune gelding home with a clear round of fencing, so Don’t Tell Su is taken to get through the line ahead of Dan Skelton’s Coco Mademoiselle, who returns after a break. Charlie Longsdon’s New Order is also expected to go well, but Don’t Tell Su is an intriguing debutante over fences and gets the tick.

bettting.betfair.com Handicap Chase 4.45
Triple Trade
Joe Tizzard can take the closer with Triple Trade, who is more than capable of winning at this level. The tongue-tie is retained, having seemed to have eked out a bit more at Kempton last time out, and this mark may underestimate him, so in not the strongest race for the grade, Triple Trade makes plenty of appeal. Jim Boyle’s Classic Anthem and Dan Skelton’s Theformismighty head the list of threats, but Triple Trade has the class to win this.

The Mandarin