Thursday Racing Tips: Ridge to have victory in his sights at Sandown

Enter Intro text here

13.55 Sandown - Gunsight Ridge @ 5/1 

A previous course and distance winner, Olly Murphy’s GUNSIGHT RIDGE is capable of running a huge race in this very competitive handicap chase.

The son of Midnight Legend got off the mark over fences when scoring over course and distance in January 2022 and that victory came off a 5lb lower mark.

Further success over the larger obstacles came on seasonal debut at Aintree back in November 2022 and that was a particularly smooth performance off a mark of 133. Currently on just a 2lb higher mark, he should be very competitive.

Trainer Olly Murphy has been in good form over the last fortnight and his 37 per cent strike-rate is certainly healthy. Sean Bowen is on board and he’s going to want plenty of winners as he chases the jockey’s title.

He returned after 406 days off the track at Wetherby last month and seemed to be travelling well enough when falling four out.

Obviously entitled to improve for the run here, there could well be more to come and he shouldn’t be far away.

14.30 Sandown - Smiling Getaway @ 4/1 

The Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle is shaping up to be a competitive affair and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ SMILING GETAWAY could be one to look out for. 

She was an impressive winner of her sole Irish point and finished fourth in a bumper for Dan Skelton on her debut under rules. Joining the Twiston-Davies yard in December, she has been faultless in two starts over hurdles for her new trainer. 

It was a solid effort on her debut over timber at Ludlow in December and she pulled away nicely on the run-in. 

Successful again under a penalty last time out, there was a lot to like about that performance and she was a very comfortable eight-length winner. 

The step up in grade seems warranted and this improving seven-year-old should progress again here. 

Granted she will need to in order to feature here but her profile indicates that she’s entitled to do so and a big run could be one the cards. 

14.20 Clonmel - Search For Glory @ 3/1

Ground conditions are set to be very testing at Clonmel on Thursday and that means you’ll be on the lookout for a dour stayer in the Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle over three miles. 

Gordon Elliott’s SEARCH FOR GLORY appears to fit the bill, having won his maiden hurdle on heavy ground in October. 

Scoring in a Grade 3 over three miles at Cork a month later, this test is likely to be right up his street and he should go close. 

Despite only finishing fourth in Grade 2 company over 2m7f last time out, he wasn’t beaten far and the sprint finish wouldn’t have suited at all. 

His three-length success at Cork in December certainly suggests he has the right profile for this race and it’ll be difficult for any of his three rivals to outstay him.