Which staying hurdler will enjoyer quicker ground in Pertemps qualifier test?

Friday: 3.35 Sandown
Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (series qualifier) | 2m7½f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

This race has turned into a slog up the Sandown straight on heavy ground for the last three years', but this season's race will be an entirely different test on much better going.

Staying races over this far are often slowly run with a fast finish, but the stiff uphill terrain at Sandown means they won't be flying home, even with conditions as they are.

That could be key for one of the overnight market leaders, Pileon, who has yet to prove himself over three miles under rules and didn't look the strongest stayer at Aintree last time.

Pileon travelled well enough to trade at a low of 2.36 in running that day, but he weakened gradually back to fourth on the run-in, and Aintree is not anywhere near as stiff as Sandown.

Storm Arising will definitely stay and proved that when keeping on strongly to land a handicap hurdle over this trip at Chepstow in January on his favoured soft ground. He missed his intended return at Haydock last month on good going, though, and conditions are a worry.

Stoner's Choice (green and red silks) on his way to winning at Ascot in MarchCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Stoner's Choice is usually kept away from winter ground and had a break from November to February last season. This will be only his second career start in the month of December and he would probably have been off for his hibernation but for the unseasonally dry weather.

His form figures on good ground read 211113 and connections will probably be hoping the soft disappears from the current good to soft description. The forecast suggests that may just happen.

Al Dancer's last run over hurdles resulted in a tenth in the 2019 Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, when he went off 9-2 joint-favourite. He is one of two classy representatives for Dai Walters and Sam Thomas, who also have William Henry in the race. Thomas is 5-23 (22 per cent) with Walters Plant Hire-owned runners since the start of 2021.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Beaten Paddy Power fancy Al Dancer out to rebuild over hurdles

Only Protektorat went off a shorter price than Al Dancer for last month's ultra-competitive Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Sadly for both backers and trainer Sam Thomas – for whom the eight-year-old grey was making his first start – Al Dancer was never able to find a rhythm and was already beaten coming down the hill at Cheltenham.

Thomas said: "Going into a top-class race like that you can only be as optimistic as everyone else, and people were backing like he was the winner from a long way out, which is crazy.

Sam Twiston-Davies has been on board in each of Al Dancer's last 15 starts but it will be Thomas Doggrell who will ride at Sandown on FridayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We're on a bit of a recovery mission with him. In his two runs before we got him he was pulled up and wasn't really showing his true colours. I just felt that he needed to start enjoying his racing and this looked like the perfect opportunity to do that."

Also carrying the navy and white silks of Dai Walters will be topweight William Henry, who lost any chance in the 3m Grade 1 hurdle at Aintree by consistently jumping out to his right, a trait which effectively rules out a return to a left-handed layout.

"That makes it nigh-on impossible to find races for him given he is rated so highly," said Thomas. "I'd love to explore the chasing route with him a bit more because he jumps fantastically well at home. But I daren't go the other way round with him, you're asking for trouble.

"He's been a star of a horse for connections and it's just a case of getting a run. He's been in for a while and he's fit and well."

What they say

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Stoner's Choice
We're really looking forward to this. He ran an absolute blinder the other day at Kempton and we hope Sandown will suit him. He'll love the ground and the first thing Max [Kendrick] said the last day was to step up in trip and try him on a bigger track. He's in great form and we hope he'll run well.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Storm Arising
He pulled himself up in front in this race last year. He's been ready to run for a while and the ground ought to be just about okay for him. It's not the strongest race in the world, he is very fit and goes well fresh so I'm hopeful of a good run before he goes chasing.

Storm Arising (left): heads to Sandown on Friday for the Pertemps qualifierCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Pileon and Tidal Flow
Pileon ran very well at Aintree after a disappointing season last season, having been second at the Cheltenham Festival before that. He seems in very good form and the test of stamina should be in his favour. Tidal Flow is on a retrieval mission. It hasn't gone very well for some time over fences, where his jumping has been rather careful. We're hoping going back over hurdles might help.

Richard Newland, trainer of South Terrace
He's in good form and has come through his last run well. He's got to step up from his seasonal return, but I think he might have just needed his run last time so will hopefully give a good account here.
Reporting by Scott Burton

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