Our first winner of the jumps season, WOLF OF WINDLESHAM, is hard to ignore at 9/1 in this juvenile handicap hurdle.
He won that race at Cheltenham in November from the two placed horses in the Fred Winter at the Festival, Romain De Senam and Coo Star Sivola, who are now rated 141 and 136 versus the Wolf’s 137.
Fourth home in that race was Oceane, who has also run well at Ascot recently and has a couple of today’s opponents held on form.
That suggests the Wolf might be on a competitive mark and can run a big race, provided it isn’t too soft.
He has clearly been held back for spring ground since finishing well-beaten on heavy ground on Cheltenham’s Trials card in January, so a sound surface looks key.
Despite a rainy Friday, the official going at Sandown remains ‘good, good to soft in places’ this morning, and that should be fine.
The top-weights Voix Du Reve and Tommy Silver look the main threats for the title-chasing pair of Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls, but they’re very short in the market and can be taken on.
0.75pt each-way Wolf Of Windlesham @9/1, 14:20 Sandown, Saturday
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