2.55pm Sandown

Jonbon

It’d be great for him to finish the season on another Grade 1 high, as he did in this race in 2023 and 2024 and finding only Il Etait Temps too good last year. We obviously have to respect the hugely progressive Thistle Ask, who has presumably been kept back for this race since we beat him in the Clarence House, and Solness, who ran a blinder in the Melling Chase, but our utmost model of consistency has already bagged two Grade 1s this season and, fingers crossed, this could be number three. Hopefully missing Aintree will pay dividends here, too.

4.02pm Sandown

Lucky Place

He carries a 6lb penalty here, but so does Kabral Du Mathan and Rubaud I suppose. And, like Jonbon, missing Aintree will hopefully be a positive for his chances. We didn’t see the best of him at Cheltenham but his earlier third in the Relkeel to Kabral Du Mathan under a 6lb penalty gives him claims here. And he ran well enough when a close fourth in this race last season.

4.40pm Sandown

Calimystic

The only negative from him being two from two this season is that he has gone up 10lb in the weights, but hopefully he can remain competitive off his revised mark. He is a very lightly-raced 7yo, so hopefully there is more to come from him, and the watering is a help to him, as is the fact he faces only four rivals.

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