Paul Nicholls: Classy Hermes Allen has strong claims in Grade 1 at Sandown

• Plenty of pace will suit Hermes Allen in Scilly Isles

• Veterans can go well in Edinburgh National

• Solid chance for Afadil in Scottish County Hurdle

• Coaching Carter: Watch Episode Two now

Sandown

13:25 - Onethreefivenotout

He's fragile, not easy to train, and it's been an achievement to get three runs into him this season. He was doing all his best work at the finish when only just chinned at Kempton on Boxing Day and is crying out for this step up in trip to just shy of two and a half miles. I'm looking for another big run from him in a competitive race.

14:35 - Hermes Allen

He couldn't lay a glove on the hugely impressive Kempton winner Il Est Francois who looked like a machine on Boxing Day. But he kept on to finish second and I'm sure a stiff two and a half miles will suit him well. There should be plenty of pace which will be in the favour Of Hermes Allen who worked pleasingly on Thursday morning.

16:20 - Touquet

He's a lovely, big horse by Kapgarde and showed a good attitude when winning on his debut at this track in November on soft ground. He now has a 4lbs penalty to carry and should again be competitive in what looks decent bumper.

Musselburgh

13:40 - Monmiral

He was due to run at Doncaster a week ago but the ground was quicker than ideal so I pulled him out. I was expecting a decent show from him at Cheltenham in November on his first start from a wind op. But he was outpaced the whole way and is in much calmer waters now off a mark of 142. He must have a chance with the help of a tongue tie for the first time.

14:15 - Enrilo

He has been so frustrating since his last victory almost three years ago but I felt there was some encouragement from his run at Wincanton late in October on his first start since breaking some ribs in a fall at Sandown in April. He was staying on at the finish after getting outpaced and will relish the trip and drying ground at Musselburgh. It's the sort of race that might suit him with the cheek pieces back on. He goes Hunter chasing next. It wouldn't surprise me to see him go well.

14:15 - Truckers Lodge (NON-RUNNER)

He's into the veteran stage now, has been a marvellous campaigner for his owners in long distance races and has forged a great partnership with Freddie Gingell who is only a few years older. Truckers Lodge gallops all day and won tidily at Sandown on heavy ground before I probably ran him too soon in the Coral Welsh National. He deserves a crack at this valuable race with Freddie taking off a valuable 5lbs.

14:50 - Afadil

He won the Scottish Triumph Hurdle at this track a year ago and finished a decent third back at Musselburgh last time over two and a half miles. His jockey Freddie Gingell straight away suggested we drop him back to two miles which we are doing here. He worked tidily on Thursday morning and has a solid chance.

15:25 - Farnoge

Having won his first two starts over hurdles impressively he couldn't handle really deep ground in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury and was eventually pulled up. He's progressive, stays well and can play a part despite a double penalty.

Wetherby

14:07 - Tarras Wood

He's a nice prospect who won a bumper at Wetherby last season and you can put a line through his debut over hurdles at Warwick. The racecourse vet diagnosed an irregular heartbeat afterwards and we think he might have had a touch of colic. We checked over Tarras Wood before and after he bounced back with a nice run into second place at Wincanton just before Christmas and he was fine. So I'm hopeful of a good run from him back at Wetherby.

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