One jockey, one trainer, one horse and one race to watch on Friday

One jockey

Lucy Gardner has a good opportunity to ride a winner in front of the ITV4 cameras – and her first at Sandown – aboard Emmpressive Lady (3.35) in the concluding 2m4f mares' handicap hurdle.

Emmpressive Lady, trained by Gardner's mother Sue, was an impressive winner of a mares' novice hurdle at Exeter last time.

She travelled smoothly that day and a mark of 115 looks reasonable.

One horse

Potential star The Big Breakaway (2.05) has his second start over fences in the 2m3f novice chase at Exeter.

The Colin Tizzard-trained five-year-old, who finished fourth in last season’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, was a ten-length winner on his chasing debut at Cheltenham last month over 3m½f.

He drops back in trip but is long odds-on to make it 2-2 over fences in this four-runner event.

One trainer

Evan Williams saddles the main danger to The Big Breakaway in Bold Plan but his most high-profile runner is Winter Novices’ Hurdle favourite Star Gate at Sandown.

Nico de Boinville’s mount, owned by the Rucker family, was an impressive six-and-a-half-length winner on his yard and hurdling debut at Chepstow in October and looks a smart prospect.

Evan Williams: runners at Sandown and Exeter on FridayCredit: Phil Mingo

The third, Tide Times, has since won at Ascot and others have been placed, so there is some strength behind the form and he deserves his market position despite taking a big rise in grade.

One race

See More Business, Inglis Drever, Barton and Neptune Collonges feature on the honour roll for the Grade 2 Ballymore Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown (2.25).

The feature race on the six-race card has lacked a top-class winner in recent years but Friday’s five-runner renewal should prove informative.

Enrilo (left): won the Winter Novices' Hurdle last yearCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The aforementioned Star Gate heads the betting but all the runners boast winning form over hurdles, including smooth Ffos Las winner Sending Love for Paul Nicholls and Valleres for Alan King, who has landed three of the last five runnings.

Alsa Mix and Enrilo, the last two winners, returned double-figure prices and the Chris Gordon-trained Press Your Luck, who is the outsider of the field, cannot be dismissed as he is unbeaten over hurdles after wins at Newton Abbot and Uttoxeter, with the form of his hurdling debut success already franked.

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