Betfair Plays Different Handicap Hurdle – Sandown Park – Saturday 7th December

The hurdles course on Tingle Creek Chase day at Sandown Park this Saturday could be pretty testing, as it’s officially ‘soft’ all over as of Wednesday lunchtime, and given the forecast for periods of rain and showers over the next few days, I feel that could shape the outcome of the Betfair Plays Different Handicap Hurdle at 2.25.

Current ante-post market leaders, the lightly-raced Kabral Du Mathan and Willmount might be the types that messrs Nicholls and Henderson wouldn’t want to subject to a slog in the Sandown Park slop. While if they do take their chance, then the hustle and bustle of a well-run handicap is something neither of them have encountered yet.

They also hold entries in the more valuable Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Ascot’s big meeting the weekend before Christmas, as do the likes of Altobelli, Spirit D’Aunou, Go To War and Royal Way.

Having suggested that Saturday’s contest could be the type of well-run handicap that young, progressive types might need a little more experience for, that is safe in the knowledge that Dan Skelton’s Knickerbockerglory will make it that way.

Knickerbockerglory is also a horse who loves soft or heavy ground and loves to be fresh. All of his best career runs have come after a break, whether it be first time out for the season or in the spring after a smaller break.

Every time Knickerbockerglory has had 50+ days off the track since joining Skelton, he has run right up to his best, with form figures of 111216. The ‘2’ was a massive effort when so nearly holding off all-comers in the 2023 Imperial Cup over Saturday’s course and distance, and the ‘6’ was a front-running effort in the 2024 Betfair Hurdle, when leading until the second last and the closers being benefitted.

At 10/1 each-way with Bet365 currently, Knickerbockerglory rates as a 1-star * ante-post recommendation for WhichBookie. Given he holds no other entries, this would appear to be ‘the plan’ for a first time out, fresh and ready Knickerbockerglory to play catch me if you can around Sandown Park’s (hopefully very) soggy hurdles track.