December really is a Christmas dream for jumps fans, and the Tingle Creek kicks off this month in fine style.
Jonbon, Quilixios, L’Eau du Sud, Master Chewy, Rubaud, and JPR One are all set to hit Sandown this weekend.
So, let’s dive into Friday’s selections.
1:58 Sandown – Quebecois @ 5/2 with Paddy Power – 2pt Win
My long-term love for Quebecois is well-known, and I think he can win the Winter Novices’ Hurdle.
The feature novice hurdle at Sandown on Friday is fiercely competitive with Bill Joyce and Kingston Pride also in the field, but there’s a nice form line to suggest Paul Nicholls’ five-year-old has the former’s beating.
On his rules debut, Quebecois sauntered to success when beating Jack Black by five-and-a-quarter lengths; Jack Black went on to finish third to Bill Joyce, beaten four-and-a-quarter lengths, at Warwick when the winner needed a bit of drive from Jonjo O’Neill Jnr.
After that Exeter win, connections decided to save Quebecois for the Champion Bumper. It was a bold call to give him a three-month break before sending him into a tough bumper on just his second rules start, and ultimately, he didn’t enjoy the experience.
Fast forward to this season and he bolted up at Chepstow by eight lengths on hurdles debut.
As is well-known this season, Paul Nicholls’ runners have needed their first runs, so to do that on seasonal reappearance is commendable.
You might remember that his win at Chepstow came 30 minutes after The New Lion dotted up for the Skeltons.
Although The New Lion ran a much quicker overall time, only half a second separated both of their efforts from the third-last hurdle to the line, though The New Lion did it hard-held compared to Harry Cobden’s intermittent shakes of the reins.
It seems like the boss of Ditcheat has big targets for this son of No Risk At All, notably the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle, so I’m keeping him onside.
2:33 Sandown – Handstands @ 11/4 with Paddy Power – 1pt Win
As much as Resplendent Grey is in good form and Welcom To Cartries is well-regarded in Ditcheat, I like the profile of Handstands in this field.
He looks like the typical type to improve for three miles as he is a Getaway half to the three-time three-mile winner Kilconny Bridge, and he wasn’t stopping when he won over 2m3f in the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle last season.
Rain is set to hit the track today to add to the good to soft conditions, and Sandown tends to ride on the softer side anyway, so he’ll appreciate the conditions.
Handstands was a better hurdler than Resplendent Grey, Welcom To Cartries is making his first start of the season (as is Saint Davy), and one would hope Handstands is better than Cadell and Riskintheground.
With his Jango Baie and Bugise Seagull form, I’ll chance him here.
3:03 Sandown – Passing Well @ 13/2 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW
The 13/2 available for Passing Well seems more than reasonable, and I think he has a great chance in the three-mile handicap chase.
He made a good seasonal reappearance at Sandown last month, but it’s worth noting he does go well fresh.
He went close to landing a bumper at the Punchestown Festival in 2022 off a 110-day break, he won on hurdles debut in 2022, and he finished second on chase debut in 2023.
The Coastal Path seven-year-old also won on his second start of last season and his form dropped off towards the back end of the previous campaign.
During that win, he beat two subsequent winners (Heva Rose and Invincible Nao) and then he went to Newbury.
He finished a good third that day behind the subsequent Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase winner Henry’s Friend, and he stayed on through the line on soft ground over 2m6f.
Furthermore, although he was last of four on his final start of the season, Martator, the winner, improved 33 lbs, and Ioupy Collonges, the second, won his next start at Perth.
With an unchanged mark of 123 after his second last time out, a race that saw him come up against two race-fit horses in El Rio and Mole Court, he looks to have a great chance here.
