ALTHOUGH Thursday and Friday were both relatively dry days, Sandown Park is set for a very wet Saturday and that should turn the going back to testing at the Esher track, particularly on the more vulnerable hurdles course.

But for me the big betting race of the day is the Veterans Handicap Chase at 3.00 which has become a favourite of mine down through the years; a race I was sent to clean up massively three years ago until my mount fell at the second last when cruising.

I slightly made up for it 12 months ago when Adam Wedge gave Prime Venture a truly brilliant waiting ride to see off Final Nudge and company by nine lengths and more.

Set to race off a very similar mark here and given two pipe openers over hurdles, he is sure to be involved again defending his crown granted anything like a clear run.

The more rain the better for the Welsh raider and I can’t see him being out of the first four. 

However, this year’s renewal is a much better contest and if SNOW LEOPARDESS is back to within 6lbs of her best form, she is going to be desperately hard to beat off a mark of 142.

It is worth remembering that she was the centre of a huge gamble in last year’s Grand National (went off at 10/1 off 146) after previously landing the Becher Chase off 140, so her chance is very clear to see here if she retains the majority of her ability.

Of the remaining 16 runners, recent Haydock Park winner Saint Xavier has claims although several of these are stronger stayers while at a bigger price have a second look at Broken Quest who has not raced on this ground for a long time, in fact since a good second at Chepstow at the beginning of last year.

We have been deprived of that outstanding mare Luccia running in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at 2.25, but that in turn has opened up this valuable contest with the likelihood that the unbeaten Authorized Art will go off favourite.

However, his six-length win over course and distance may have been impressive to the eye, but it was a moderate contest that he had every right to win in that manner.

But I can’t help but feel that the Evan Williams-trained charge L’ASTROBOY is hugely over priced at 25/1.

He actually beat the Paul Nicholls-trained Tahmuras in a bumper last year, yet the last named is set to go off second favourite or possibly better for this contest.

I know that the Vale Of Glamorgan trainer wouldn’t be running his charge here unless he felt he had a solid chance and I shall be having a lumpy bet on him each-way.

The remainder of the Sandown Park card looks equally competitive, but this ground lends itself to big surprises and I just wonder whether we may well get another in the concluding handicap hurdle due off at 3.35.

Iceo and Djeo are the two young and unexposed entries in the line-up with plenty of improvement to come in this two-mile event, but I have to say I am not attracted by either off their raised marks which will require a fair bit of improvement in this better grade, and I would much rather row in with an each-way call on the Jamie Snowden-trained HARDY DE SEUIL.

This six-year-old was far from disgraced behind Iroko last time out at Southwell and the drop back to a stiffer two miles with plenty of give in the ground should prove right up his street.

Earlier on, MARTELLO SKY is taken to outstay the classy Love Envoi in the Listed Mares Hurdle at 12.40, while CERTAINLY RED may follow up his wide margin Wincanton success when he lines up against Gemirande and Scipion in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase at 2.15.

The ground is set to be equally as testing at Newcastle where one of the feature events is the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase at 1.23.

Top-weight Castle Rushen has always been highly rated by trainer Nicky Richards, but he needs to be a whole lot sharper than on his comeback after a lay-off when unseating Champion Jockey Brian Hughes midway through his seasonal return at Wetherby.

He has the size and scope to carry his big weight of 12 stone, but the percentage call this time around has to be DALYOTIN (nap).

The Rebecca Menzies’ yard continues in really good form and I am sure that we have yet to see the very best of this seven-year-old who is four from 11 over the larger obstacles.

He was well behind The Paddy Pie over two-and-a-half miles at Wetherby last time out, but travelled well through the race that day until weakening after the third last.

That run should have brought him on a treat and I think he will rustle up the likely favourite here O’Toole with course and distance winner King Of May also likely to be involved off his current rating of 126.

The 2021 Scottish National winner, MIGHTY THUNDER looks very interesting on his second start return to hurdling in the 1.58 and gets a tentative each-way play against the likes of Top Of The Bill and Theme Tune.

Away from the jumps I also fancy having a couple of bets on the sand at Lingfield Park.

FIRST EMPEROR has dropped to a very fancy mark in the opening staying event at 12.00.

Following a recent wind operation, he may well be able to get off the mark at the ninth time of asking.

Later on, back down to a more realistic class four event, PISTOLETTO looks the call in the mile-and-a-half handicap at 2.20.

A full 11lbs lower than his last winning mark, this step back up to this extended trip is exactly what he has been crying out for.