Sandown Placepot picks: Paul Kealy has a crack at the £250k guaranteed pool

Authorised Speed always looked likely to develop into a decent novice hurdler after some high-class bumper form last season, and that looked very much the case when he won in a canter on his Lingfield debut.

Last year's Champion Bumper fifth is down in trip and penalised in the opener at Sandown (12.00), but likely has a huge class edge and is a banker for Placepot purposes.

It will get trickier later on, but in the second (12.35) West Balboa will take plenty of kicking out of the frame.

Judging by trainer Dan Skelton's Stable Tour comments, he expected her to go very close in a much better race at Newbury last week until he decided the ground was too quick.

The third (1.10) is seriously tricky, but there should be more to come from Halo Des Obeaux, who needed all of 2m4f here last time to get on top and may improve again for the trip.

This doesn't strike me as the strongest race for the grade, so a chance is taken on Copperhead back over hurdles, with Sidi Ismael, a good third at Cheltenham last time, the third choice.

Jonbon looked the real deal when he made his chase debut at Warwick, so he is banked on in the four-runner novice chase (1.45), but I'll take on Love Envoi in the next (2.20), and I'm not convinced her Cheltenham Festival win represents standout form.

Homme Public, who hacked up at Wetherby last time and is well regarded by connections, gets the first vote, with Playful Saint, expected to come on a good deal for his return, the second choice.

The Tingle Creek (2.55) is a match between Shishkin and Greaneteen according to the book, and although the former has the best overall form, he's the one with more to prove after the way he ended last season. I'll keep the perm small and bank on Greaneteen.

Sandown Placepot perm

12.00
1 Authorised Speed

12.35
2 West Balboa

1.10
4 Copperhead
5 Halo Des Obeaux
7 Sidi Ismael

1.45
3 Jonbon

2.20
5 Homme Public
6 Playful Saint

2.55
5 Greaneteen

1x1x3x1x2x1 = 6 lines

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