An entire season’s worth of preparation was wasted when BLAKLION was brought down at the first fence during the Grand National at Aintree a fortnight ago.
He was strongly fancied off top-weight and it would have been a massive disappointment for connections seeing him depart so early.
But with Blaklion being caught immediately after the fall and having had a lightly-raced campaign, he will be fresher than most here and he is by far the classiest chaser in the field.
He has some top chasing form in Graded company and the ground should be spot on for him, which can help him overcome the burden of 11st 12lbs against what looks like an average renewal.
He ran a blinder when carrying 11st 6lbs to win the Becher Chase and was a gallant second in heavy going at Haydock when carrying the maximum weight behind mud-lark Yala Enki.
Sam Twiston-Davies is back aboard and he can bring some joy to his old man’s yard on the final day of the National Hunt season.
Missed Approach is a favourite of ours and can go close on a track that is sure to suit, but the 8lbs rise may just catch him out. Regal Encore is 4lbs higher for his most recent win, and although Step Back looks very unexposed, he is massively inexperienced in this company.
Instead racing 2lbs wrong at the weights it might be worth chancing RATHLIN ROSE could represent a bit of a value at 20/1.
David Pipe’s ten-year-old has stayed on well in three mile races round here, and has won three in four around Sandown. Rathlin Rose finished sixth in the Welsh National earlier in the season, running a blinder, before running out of steam in the final couple of furlongs in horrendous conditions.
The better ground could help him see out a trip like this and he won very convincingly at Ascot over three miles in a Veteran’s Handicap the time before last. He has only had 13 chase starts so he is hardly a proper veteran races, as he proved when he was going well before coming down four out in the Topham at Aintree a couple of weeks ago.
A course specialist can be extremely valuable around Sandown and Rathlin Rose is certainly that. He could outrun his odds and is a decent each-way shout.
1pt each-way Blaklion @7/1, 15:35 Sandown, Saturday (5 Places at 1/4 Odds Bet365)
0.5pt each-way Rathlin Rose @20/1,15:35 Sandown, Saturday (5 Places at 1/5 Odds Paddy Power)