EBF National Hunt Flat Race

Saturday 7th March, 3.45pm Sandown -2 miles 110 yards , live on Channel 4

Seventeen mares are due to turn out for this two-mile bumper, but as eight of them won last time out and a further six finished in the first three, we could well have quite a contest on our hands.

Top weight Lifeboat Mona (12/1)  has to carry a penalty for winning at Huntingdon but has that negated by jockey Megan Nicholls taking her seven pound claim off her horse’s back, and as the five year old is trained by Paul Nicholls we can be confident she will know the intricacies of the horse inside out. The runner up from her last victory has won since as have the fifth, sixth and seventh, while the fourth and ninth were previous winners, so the form has a pretty solid look about it, and I cannot imagine how she can be kept put of a place as the barest minimum.

Gigginstown Stud will expect to collect from the Cheltenham winners’ circle on more than one occasion next week, but before then they seem sure to go close here with Irish raider Whistle Dixie (4/1) who arrives unbeaten for trainer Gordon Elliott after successes at Limerick and Fairyhouse after her point-to-point debut. All three victories have been on heavy ground which has to be the million-dollar question, and as a daughter of Kayf Tara I wonder if everything could happen a little too quickly for her here.

Naturally, any bumper horse entry by Willie Mullins with Ruby Walsh riding needs serious consideration, and he sends Babylon Des Mottes (5/1) here for her first race since wining in the French provinces at Le Lion D’Angers in July 2014 and she could be anything. Bought privately by the Ricci family she is likely to be way above average and does receive twelve pounds from the top weight giving her every chance of a British success, and it will be interesting to see how she moves in the betting market come race day.