NICKY HENDERSON may not have hit top gear this season, but the Lambourn trainer can land a notable prize at Sandown this afternoon.

Henderson saddles Vyta Du Roc in the £30,000 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle and Barry Geraghty's mount is fancied to take all the beating.

The five-year-old has completed a hat-trick over hurdles, winning at Hexham and Uttoxeter in the spring and scoring at Cheltenham on his comeback three weeks ago.

This race represents a step up in class for Vyta Du Roc, but he is an improving horse and is selected to pass this test with flying colours.

The £30,000 John Tyndall Memorial Future Stars Intermediate Chase sees the reappearance of Donald McCain's Corrin Wood, who promises to run a big race, but he may find the race-fit Black Thunder too hot to handle.

Trained by Paul Nicholls, the seven-year-old finished a close-up second to What A Warrior at Ascot on his latest start. A reproduction of that form would probably be good enough to see him home in front this time.

David Pipe can start the Sandown card on a winning note courtesy of Baraka Du Thaix in the Macmillan Cancer Juvenile Hurdle.

The talented French recruit gave notice that he will be a force to be reckoned with this winter when finishing third at Cheltenham to Golden Doyen in a Grade 2 hurdle at Cheltenham last month. He should prove too classy for his rivals here.

Also worth noting at Sandown are In Fairness (120), another Henderson runner, who should have benefited from creditable Cheltenham comeback outing last month, and Fourth Act (3.30), who shaped well on his reappearance at Fakenham.

At Exeter, Wilton Milan lines up as a winner without a penalty in the Brewin Dolphin Trophy Handicap Chase.

The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding won well at Newbury last week in a conditional jockeys' event and so goes unpenalised in this race. Jack Sherwood again has the mount.

Deputy Dan looks the type of horse to make a big name for himself over fences after reaching a mark of 145 over hurdles.

Trained by Oliver Sherwood, the six-year-old, who got off the mark over the major obstacles at Plumpton when beating Far West, runs in the Harry Dutfield Memorial Novices' Chase. He promises to take plenty of beating Kentford Heiress makes plenty of appeal in the Tim Hailston Late Birthday Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

The four-year-old finished a good second at Taunton four weeks ago on her first start since July. She is napped to step-up on that display this afternoon and score for Jerry McGrath.

Venetia Williams has her horses in excellent form and Gorgeous Lliege can provide her with yet another winner in the Devon Marathon Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old was successful at Fontwell on his comeback nearly three weeks ago. He can follow-up in this gruelling four-miles affair.

A couple of others worthy of attention at Exeter are Hello George (2.15), a course and distance winner trained by Philip Hobbs, and the promising Moving Waves (2.50), who makes his handicap debut.

 

Selections

Sandown today

12.50 Baraka de Thaix, 1.20 In Fairness, 1.55 Vyta Du Roc, 2.30 Black Thunder, 3.00 Handy Andy, 3.30 Fourth Act.

Exeter today

12.40 Kentford Heiress (NAP), 1.10 Deputy Dan, 1.40 Wilton Milan, 2.15 Hello George, 2.50 Moving Waves, 3.20 Gorgeous Lliege.3.50 Wishfull Dreaming.

Today's other meetings

Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Tomorrow's meetings

Aintree, Chepstow, Sandown, Wetherby and Wolverhampton.