Nick Luck’s Blog: Fastorslow has fair chance of downing Galopin again

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck runs his expert eye over the best of Saturday’s action from Sandown, Leopardstown and Musselburgh.

Sandown, Saturday

ONETHREEFIVENOTOUT is the pick in the ITV3 opener at Sandown Park on Saturday (1.25pm) at 7/2. He’s come back quite well this season and was a shade unfortunate not to win at Kempton last time. That form looks fair, with the third winning decisively since, and the selection should surely improve for a sterner test of stamina.

SAINT SEGAL looks easily the most trustworthy in the two-mile handicap (2.00pm) at 2/1. The drier ground seems to suit perfectly well when he was a most unfortunate faller at Ascot in a much better race than this, while he confirmed he was still in good form at Lingfield behind First Flow. Off the same mark, he just needs to run the same race.

LE PATRON might just be a shade bigger than he ought to be, at 7/2, in the Scilly Isles (2.35pm). I bow to no-one in my admiration for what Hermes Allen has done this season, but the selection has just been so good at this track (and all his form has worked out), that he is hard to resist as the higher rated horse, especially back up at this distance.

SCAMALLACH LIATH gets the nod in the long-distance hurdle (3.10pm). He’s not that quick, but he kept digging really deep at Ascot last time and should appreciate an even greater test, so there is value there at 8/1. He’ll race on or near the pace and make the most of his low weight. I won’t be leaving DUBROVNIK HARRY unbacked either. He is so well treated now, needs this trip, and showed his best form so far at this venue.

CERTAINLY RED has loads in his favour at 6/1 in the Masters (3.45pm). In a real purple patch this time last year, including when very effective here, he has now come down to his last winning mark on a surface he should really enjoy.

Musselburgh, Saturday

MARBLE SANDS can bounce back in the first TV race at Musselburgh (1.40pm). When Monmiral is making the market, you never mind having a dart, and – simply – this horse has the best form whichever way you slice it. I’ll forgive any horse running badly behind Il Est Francais, but on nice ground over a more suitable trip, he should be very competitive at 4/1.

UNIVERSAL FOLLY looks the interesting one at 15/2 in the Edinburgh National (2.15pm). Holding his form well over shorter trips, he might just be crying out for this sort of marathon – he’s pretty stoutly bred, and just keeps galloping. His one previous visit here yielded a very good run, and he’s that rare slow horse that wants decent ground.

ZANNDABAD is a bit of a wise guy horse in the Scottish County (2.50pm), but they’re an exposed if worthy bunch, and he might just be able to do an awful lot better than his mark. He was quietly fancied for the Boodles last year, but just failed to make the cut, and this is the first opportunity this fast Flat horse has had to tackle a speed test over hurdles on nice ground. He is currently 8/1.

Leopardstown, Saturday

PANDA BOY can take the handicap hurdle at the DRF (3.00pm). A cosy winner of a similar event here a few years ago, he was more than capable off this sort of mark then, and he has surely improved over fences since. He’s in good heart and in good hands, and 7/1 looks worth taking.

FASTORSLOW has half a chance of beating Galopin des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup (3.35pm). He’s done him twice when you fancy the favourite has been below-par, and this is tougher at this track, but a small field and drying ground will narrow the fundamental deficit, and the selection remains a fair price at 11/4.