14.20pm Sandown
Balco Coastal
We also had Bold Endeavour in here at the five-day stage but we go with Balco Coastal and we feel he is well worth a shot at this Grade 1. Clearly, he needs to improve to come up to the level of Gerri Colombe and Thunder Rock, but not by as much as you may think as he was very impressive when winning his handicap at Kempton last time off a mark of 133. We have always thought a fair bit of him and he has his conditions, so let’s see what he is made of in this grade. I don’t think he will be disgraced, let’s put it like that.
14.55pm Sandown
Bothwell Bridge
As is obvious, his form took a dive after he fell at Kempton on Boxing Day in 2021 and we run him back over hurdles here primarily to get his confidence and form back. Clearly, he has a lot to prove but he races off a mark of just 131 here, he has winning course form and good to soft ground is fine for him. Don’t be that surprised if he goes close here.
15.30pm Sandown
Emir Sacree
He is another who was pulled up when we last saw him, but he is obviously better than he showed on his comeback at Hereford and hopefully this better ground can see him be competitive here. Certainly, he is on a fair enough mark, just 3lb higher than when winning at Chepstow two starts ago, and I can see this return to 3m suiting him. He disappointed over 3m in the River Don, but that wasn’t his form.
