Exeter and Sandown today

Both Exeter and Sandown stage above average cards today and even though some of the fields are small, there is plenty of high-class racing at both tracks. While this is normal for Sandown (where there is an even better card tomorrow), it is less so for Exeter and today´s fixture is undoubtedly one of their best of the year. The valuable 2 miles 3 furlongs handicap hurdle at 14.00 CET has only 5 runners but this is still a highly interesting event, with the smart Franchoek (Alan King/ Tony McCoy) making his handicap debut under a very high weight. Whether he is able to concede 19 lbs to the useful Hector´s Choice (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) is difficult to predict; the other 3 runners are out of the handicap, but not impossible. There are also 5 runners in the class 2 novice chase at 14.35, and obviously Exmoor Ranger (Vic Dartnall/ Christian Williams), a faller last time out, would be an appropriate winner, but Panjo Bere (Gary and Jamie Moore) is going for a hat-trick an d looks a big danger. The big betting race at Exeter is the Devon Marathon, a handicap chase over 4 miles. This looks wide open, but in view of the testing conditions, we expect one of lighter weghts to win and make last year´s winner The Risky Viking (Nick Williams/ Daryl Jacob), Blaze Ahead (Brendan Powell/ Wilson Renwick) and Waking Ned (P. Kirby/ James Reveley) our 3 to follow here. The other fascinating feature at Exeter is Little Shilling´s attempt to win his 6th race in less than 3 weeks in the handicap chase at 16.20; every winning run comes to an end some time and we predict it might come today (but would not bet on it!). At Sandown, there are again only 5 runners in the intermediate chase over 3 miles at 15.35, but this is a serious race and all 5 have good form to their credit. Roll Along (Carl Llewelly/ Timmy Murphy), who defeated Air Force One last time, and the Queen´s Barbers Shop (Nicky Hemderson/ Barry Geraghty) an excellent runner-up at Cheltenham, look the likeliest winers. The Grade Two novice hurdle over 2 1/2 miles at 15.00 is another top event. On Raglan Road (Howard Johnson/ Denis O´Regan) has a tall reputation and will probably start a warm favourite, but Junior, having his first run for Alan King and Robert Thornton, and Grizebeck (Nicky Richards/ Davy Condon) will not be easily brushed aside.