Racing Express, Thursday 17 February: Love is in the air at Sandown

Love Envoi can maintain her unbeaten record with victory in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown today. A £38,000 (R780,000) purchase after winning a Wexford bumper for prominent point-to-point trainer Sean Doyle last spring, the Westerner mare has proved a real find for Noel Fehily Racing. She made a successful hurdling debut for her new connections at Leicester in early December – and the runner-up, Miss Fairfax, has since won twice.

Love Envoi comfortably defied a penalty on her next start at Warwick before making it a hat-trick at Lingfield last month – readily accounting for the 123-rated Nurse Susan. The Harry Fry-trained six year-old faces a step up in class for this Grade 2 assignment, but she has proven her suitability for testing conditions and another bold showing looks assured.

For the full version of Thursday’s edition of Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, click here.

Hogan’s Height is fancied to claim top honours in the Castel Royal Artillery Gold Cup. Jamie Snowden’s veteran got his head in front for the first time since winning the 2019 Grand Se‑ on over Aintree’s Grand National fences when making a successful hunter chase debut at Ludlow last month. Fi­tted with cheek pieces for the first time in Shropshire, Hogan’s Height made the most of having his sights lowered to secure a confidence-boosting victory.

Faced with just three rivals in this prestigious contest for military amateur jockeys, Will Kellard’s mount should prove hard to beat. Dreaming Blue can make it back-to-back wins at Fontwell in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle. Bought out of Richard Fahey’s yard after winning at Wolverhampton, the five-year-old was well beaten on his hurdling bow for Anthony Honeyball. Having undergone wind surgery last summer and spent a year off the track, he did not fare much be­tter when switched back to the Flat earlier this winter.

For the full version of Thursday’s edition of Racing Express, as found in The Citizen, click here.

But reverting to the hurdles at this course a few weeks ago, Dreaming Blue put in a much- improved performance – jumping much be­tter than had been in the case on his first a­ttempt on his way to an 11-length verdict. He clearly handles cut in the ground and this track, and this looks a good opportunity for him to double his tally over obstacles. Interne De Sivola should make the most of a drop in class in the Virgin Bet Juvenile Hurdle.

The Nick Williams-trained gelding looked set to take high rank in this division when beating a couple of subsequent winners in Yorksea and Galah at Cheltenham in December. He was expected to go well again on his return to the Cotswolds for a Triumph Hurdle trial last month but raced freely and inevitably weakened to finish a long way behind the impressive Pied Piper. Interne De Sivola certainly has enough ability to get back on the winning trail in this company if his exuberance can be harnessed. – www.sportinglife.com