Daryl Carter's Tips: 2/1 Nicky's King fancied to be crowned in Sandown Grade 2

• Lord expected to thunder home at Exeter

• Kingston Pride is well-fancied for a Grade 2 assignment at Sandown

• Hoe Joly Smoke is devilishly well treated if he is sound

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13:00 Exeter - Back Lord Of Thunder @ 9/43.25 1.5pt

Providing Lord Of Thunder - 9/43.25 on the Betfair Sportsbook - is none the worse for his fall at Cheltenham 41 days ago, he will prove well ahead of the handicapper with this same rating of 129. He shaped with considerable promise on his chasing debut in a deep race at Prestbury Park and would have gone up in the weights for fighting out the finish had he stood up.

The six-year-old moved through a competitive race with menace despite conceding experience to the entire field, mainly battle-hardened handicappers. He came down at the second last but looked to have running left, and Joe Tizzard undoubtedly has an upwardly mobile sort on his hands.

Cheltenham was also the selection's first run since January, so he is entitled to improve in more ways than one. He appeals, having proven himself right-handed at Wincanton at the back end of last season when racking up two Novice hurdle victories, and he is entirely unexposed.

This is a deep race for the grade, with The Doyen Chief almost certain to land a race sooner rather than later, although he already looks like he wants three miles. Lowry's Bar is another capable of scoring here, having bumped into the smart Jagwar at Bangor on his chase debut. Still, Lord Of Thunder gets the vote over The Doyen Chief, and I expect a big performance after an auspicious chasing debut.

Back the selection at 9/43.25 or bigger.

13:58 Sandown - Back Kingston Pride @ 2/13.00 2.5pt (NAP)

This is a competitive race, but Kingston Pride--2/13.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook--is a horse going places and I can't wait to see him tackle this. His finishing effort at Uttoxeter last time markets him down as a very useful prospect, and with improvement almost a given, and that form boosted by the runner-up, he makes loads of appeal.

It was a low-key Maiden Hurdle reappearance for Nicky Henderson's horse at Uttoxeter. Still, he impressed with how strong he hit the line, and the third horse had previously crossed the line three lengths behind Royal Infantry in a bumper earlier in his career - he was 16 lengths adrift here.

It was a very positive start for Kingston Pride, who had only fallen foul in his career when switched to the AW on rules debut for a bumper at Lingfield after 287 days off the track. Even on that occasion, he bumped into the smart Aintree bumper winner Tripoli Flyer and finished off his race strongly.

Everything adds up to Kingston Pride being a smart prospect, and while this is a rare deep race for a British Novice Grade 2, he gets a confident vote to land the spoils.

Quebecois can be very keen, and he achieved less than it looked at Chepstow in his Maiden Hurdle, but he must be respected as a promising prospect from a powerful yard. Bill Joyce looked good in a Novice hurdle at Carlisle, but both were well held in the Champion Bumper, and on that form, the latter has a bit to find, with the Nicholls horse having struggled to go his pace.

I am happy to play at 2/13.00 or bigger.

14:10 Exeter - Back Denemethy @ 7/18.00 1pt

The time to catch Denemethy - 7/18.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - maybe when fresh, having bolted up for this column last year at Wincanton in good style, and been a good second to the smart Mister Meggit at Carlisle in a bumper on his previous seasonal debut.

He has some potent point-to-point form that makes him of serious interest now that he has switched to handicaps from this low rating of 119.

He was third to the smart 137-rated Mint Boy before easily winning his Knockanard point in February 2023 over the now 134-rated Lowry's Boy and 126-rated Chigorin.

Those point efforts and the pick of his form under rules make him of interest at 6/17.00 or bigger in an open race. Billythebigred is progressive but it's the potentially well-treated, Dartmore Pirate, that rates the chief threat.

15:03 Sandown - Back Hoe Joly Smoke @ 9/43.25 1.5pt

Hoe Joly Smoke - 9/43.25 on the Betfair Sportsbook - was an unlucky loser for this column 49 days ago at Uttoxeter when a last flight blunder saw him relinquish the lead to Resplendent Grey, who runs in Grade 2 on this card and is rated 11lb higher. Much better is expected with that seasonal/chase debut under his belt returned to this longer trip, and he looks exceptionally well treated for the Skelton's.

The six-year-old is unexposed, gets a first-time tongue-tie, and is too well handicapped to ignore from this low rating of 120. The point-to-point winner is expected to thrive now chasing, and he improved significantly last term for his seasonal return when runner-up at Newbury over today's trip to a horse in Ed Keeper, who ended the season rated 14lb higher. The smart Hyland in third is now rated 12 lb higher.

He looks like a blot on the handicap system. Provided he jumps around safely, he should take a world of stopping. However, despite thinking he is 10lb ahead of the handicapper, he has bled before and that means caution is advised when it comes to the potential bet layout, as if not for this fact, he would be a stronger staked selection.

Back the selection at 2/13.00 or bigger.

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