Astarador most bright of the blossoming guns at Sandown

Friday January 05, 2007

Astarador has the makings of a absolute star and authority abide his rise buttoned up the ranks at Sandown Lawns tomorrow.

The gelding won one of his two races last season and has been an impressive wide - edge winner on both his appearances consequently far this winter at Wetherby and Ayr. He beat babyish of note on each time, but scarcely poor sweat command the course and is highly regarded by trainer Howard Johnson.

He sends the five - chronology - elderly south to booty on much stronger opposition ascendancy the Anglo Irish Bank Tolworth Hurdle and we should acquisition out a lot added about the width of the gelding.

I accept that he is a bent on contender for top trainee prizes this spring and think him to abide his winning ways.

The beginning at Haydock, the VC Casino Novices Handicap Chase, answerability activity the system of Chris Grant's changing chaser Laertes.

A decent hurdler last season, he excelled over three miles influence testing conditions and was not disgraced late According To John at the borderline of last expression. He ran a optimistic competition aboriginal clock over fences at Kelso and therefore scored by a kiss on his after appearance at Hexham.

Back influence interrogation that age was Howard Johnson's highly - regarded The Padre and hide conditions expected to suit tomorrow, Laertes should bound a awash chase.

Trainer Nicky Richards has always regarded Agreement Brig because a embryonic top class chaser and the gelding looks a acceptable pledge at Haydock. He won several times over hurdles last season and false an impressive winning commencement over the larger obstacles at Ayr before journeying south to booty on some adept opposition at Ascot last allotment.

He disappointed on the Berkshire passage but faces a much easier assignment influence the VC Casino Novices Chase.

Richards and his jockey Ostentatious Dobbin answerability initiate a twin hide Scarvagh Diamond access the Griff's Last Mares Only Novices Hurdle for the six-allotment-ancient showed some promise last phrase.

Girl was fourth on her reappearance before finishing runner up at Kelso before Christmas and responsibility accomplish one bigger on the Lancashire passageway.

Former flat champion jockey Jamie Spencer got back into the groove bury winners on the all weather this date and does a paired stint at both Lingfield and Kempton tomorrow. He is reunited hide Sri Diamond at Lingfield. He steered the seven - time - mature to accomplishment access the Winter Derby here last spring and they answerability score further access the Pontin's Handicap on the Polytrack.

However, the team will exterior competition from Millville.

He has won four times begun at this passageway and looked finer than drastically when powering to a five-hank accomplishment three starts ago.

Philip Hobbs Private Act as, albatross buy for backed to land the Letheby & Christopher Beginners Chase at Chepstow.

The Gunner B gelding was advantageous last age influence a impartial handicap hurdle at Exeter, which makes the handle to chasing all the added absorbing. The act suggests his all-powerful handler believes he will mature into an alike choice deformed over the larger obstacles but a child's play reproduction of his last performance ought to behold him at ease influence front this bout.

For those who akin to hurl an eye over the abeyant stars of the approaching, real could pament to booty a cautionary bad eye at the mart when Royal Crystalcadou makes his debut connections the Letheby & Christopher Intermediate Governmental Hunt Flat Competition.

The five-allotment-mature is a brother to former top-notcher Royal Paradise, a Grade One winner access his prime, and is and related to big other winners including the actual adept Royal Rosa. Although real can be far from guaranteed that Paul Webber's inmate has inherited a similar level of ability until he proves it on the track, there is little doubt that he is one of the most interesting horses on the card.

He's A Rocket can secure the eighth success of his career in the More Options With digibet.com Classified Stakes at Kempton. Karl Burke's charge is clearly nothing out of the ordinary but he is a capable sprinter at the right level and shaped encouragingly when fifth on his penultimate start over course and distance.

That more pleasing display came on his first visit to the track and he is expected to have benefited from that experience sufficiently to score.