Disappointment first thing this morning for jumps fans in the west country, as Exeter’s excellent card on Friday afternoon, which was due to include The New One’s debut over fences among other points of interest, has succumbed to overnight frost. The first day of Sandown’s Tingle Creek meeting has survived the cold, however, and the Grade Two novice hurdle over two-and-a-half miles promises to be one of the most significant contests of its kind this side of Christmas.
Ballyandy, last year’s Festival Bumper winner, seems sure to set off as the favourite despite having failed to land either of his two starts over hurdles this season. He was behind Moon Racer, the 2015 Festival Bumper winner, on both occasions, and ran well enough to suggest that he deserves to head the market today.
Whether he deserves to be around 5-4, however, is another question entirely, as no fewer than four of his rivals bring impressive recent victories to the table, and even the spendidly named 20-1 outsider Coeur Blimey has Grade One form in bumpers to consider.
Messire Des Obeaux (2.25) in particular looks like a serious rival at around 5-2. Alan King’s runner has run in handicaps on his last two starts, including a seventh-place finish in the Fred Winter at the Festival, and he made a mockery of his mark of 128 to win a £20,000 Class 2 event by 10 lengths at Bangor on his seasonal debut. The runner-up was a comfortable winner in a handicap chase next time up, and Messire Des Obeaux certainly makes much more appeal than Ballyandy at the prices.
Antartica De Thaix (1.50) should also go well in the handicap chase earlier on the card, while Dino Velvet (1.15) is a solid favourite for the juvenile hurdle.
Greywell Boy (3.00) has an outstanding chance at the weights if he is fit and well on his first start for Harry Fry, having won a course-and-distance handicap chase in March 2014 from a 12lb higher mark before losing his way last season, while Derintoher Yank (2.50) could extend his winning streak on the card at Sedgefield.
