ADMIRAL TO TAKE CHARGE WITH FROST SET TO RIDE

15:35 Sandown

The favourite here is the JP McManus owned Belargus who won last time out back at Sandown over half a mile shorter. The extra distance shouldn’t be an issue, but everything went right for him that day and he has been raised 9lb for the win Which may make this much tougher.

A Paul Nicholls trained horse always has to be considered and he‘s set to saddle Stratagem. He won a 3-runner race at Doncaster last time and the second has won subsequently. This is his first run in a handicap, and he carries top weight with a rating of 145. I don’t think he has been generously handicapped and I’m happy to pass on him this afternoon.

The horse I do like the look of however is Lucy Wadham’s Admiral Barratry. He beat Corrany at Fakenham at the end of January and Corrany went on to claim future success. Wadham’s runner finished second to Fire Away at Fakenham when beaten 3/4L that day but was giving the winner a massive 21lb‘s in weight. Fire Away won his next start by 10L so Admiral Barratry’s form is rock solid. With Bryony Frost doing the steering I reckon the Admiral looks the one to beat.

ADMIRAL BARRATRY (WIN)

written by Steve Marriott