Friday 25th April

Sandown
115
£5 win 5/1 Shagraan (Ladbroke BOG)
150
£5 win 13/8 Hand Of God (Ladbroke BOG)       WON
225
£5 win 11/4 Okeechobee (Bet365 BOG)            WON 100/30

The Friday report I get for a Saturday feature race........
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SANDOWN - OAKSEY CHASE
2.25 Sandown - Saturday 27 April 2024
bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1) 2m6½f ITV

Named in honour of the late Lord Oaksey, a leading amateur rider before he was a leading racing pundit and tipster, the Oaksey Chase was first run 10 years ago. Initially dominated by Philip Hobbs' Menorah, who won the first four renewals, it's interesting to note that no single horse has enjoyed that run of success subsequently, though Paul Nicholls has saddled three of the last four winners, including the highly popular Frodon, in 2021.

Nicholls looks to have a decent chance of winning this race for a fourth time with Hitman, who is near top-class at his best and taking into account his official handicap rating of 152 and the fact he's carrying less weight than the other market-leaders, he could be set to run well. He is, however, inconsistent and perhaps Patrick Neville's The Real Whacker is a safer bet, given that his best form is between 2m4f and 3m, including a Grade 1 win as a novice chaser last season, and he should find this race a good deal easier than the Cheltenham Gold Cup in which he was pulled up last time.

Willie Mullins galvanised his chances of winning the British jumps trainer title for the first time when he landed the Scottish National last Saturday. He's won more races since then and will have a strong squad for Sandown tomorrow. His runner in this race is Easy Game, who was unfancied and pulled up behind Jonbon in the Melling Chase at Aintree last time. That was his first run since September and coupled with the fitment of first-time cheekpieces, he could be much more on the pace here. He has won three times at this level in the last 18 months, at distances up to 2m4f, and his chances should not be underestimated.

Jamie Snowden's Ga Law has always looked potentially smart but has seemingly struggled against the big boys when his sights are raised beyond handicaps. He has some decent form, but others still look more convincing.

Al Dancer is a grand old horse who has run as well as ever this season, despite being 11 years of age. A close second in a 3m Grade 3 handicap chase last time, he goes well on good and soft ground alike and could spring an each-way surprise here.

A held-third in this race last year, Nicky Henderson's Fantastic Lady had previously finished a close second in the Topham Chase. That was probably a career-best effort, and one she hasn't come close to replicating in a handful of races this season. The stable has been in the doldrums in recent months, but have had some decent winners in recent weeks, so a revival here isn't ruled out.

Sheila Lewis's Straw Fan Jack has had a fine season, culminating in a fine third in one of the big handicap chases at the Cheltenham Festival. However, in the context of this race, he has around 15lb to find with main players and looks set to play a supporting role.

VERDICT: There's no cast-iron winning proposition in this race, so maybe go for each-way value and put your trust in the brilliant Willie Mullins being able to conjure something from EASY GAME (11/2 at the time of writing) and AL DANCER proving that age is no barrier.