Paul Nicholls Saturday Runners: D'orhy the Pic of my eight at Sandown

• Sorceleur has had this race as his target for a long time

• Pic D'orhy is very fresh and will love the drying ground

• Tough asks elsewhere but Threeunderthrufive will give it his best shot

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Watch Paul Nicholls discuss his runners with Betfair

Final Ditcheat Decs of the season...@PFNicholls is looking to go out with a bang at Sandown on Saturday and gives his best to Dan Skelton in the title battle with Willie Mullins! 💥 pic.twitter.com/WyLeC9I1ss

-- Betfair Racing (@BetfairRacing) April 25, 2025

13:20 - Sorceleur

I run three in this valuable handicap which I always like to target. Sorceleur qualified for the race when he finished third at Southwell last week and is now 10lbs better off with the winner. This final has been his aim for a long time and he was only beaten around five lengths in the Imperial Cup on testing ground that he hated.

13:20 - Nardaran

He's lightly raced and as a four year old is probably up against it because ideally you want a bit more experience in big field handicap like this. But he won his qualifier in style at Taunton early this month, is capable of running well and obviously the booking of Sean Bowen is a positive.

13:20 - Fasol

Harry Skelton rode him when he was just beaten in a tight finish to a novice handicap at Sandown in December. A fast run race on quick ground will suit Fasol who is not without a chance and needs to be delivered with his run really late.

13:50 - Insurrection

We thought he was badly handicapped going to Musselburgh early in February off a mark of 134 and he absolutely hosed up. He now runs at Sandown off 141 which looks a very tough ask. He wasn't disgraced last time behind Caldwell Potter at Cheltenham considering that he was hampered three out that day.

14:25 - Pic D'orhy

He's had another great season and I've deliberately saved him for this race since he was so impressive at Ascot in February. We thought he would be coming here with a live chance after missing Cheltenham and Aintree though he now has a fair bit more to do against four of Willie Mullins big guns.

But it has to be a plus that Pic d'Orhy will love the dry ground and is very fresh while some of his opponents have had a busy time.

14:25 - Hitman

He's had another solid campaign until he was pulled up in the Grand National last time when he didn't get the trip. I'm hoping he can end the season on a good note.

15:00 - Blueking d'Oroux

He's another I've kept for this meeting since he got stuck in the mud at Fontwell in February. He's in top form at home, will enjoy the nice ground at Sandown and the trip of just over two and a half miles is ideal. But it doesn't help that he still has to carry a 6lbs penalty for winning the Coral Hurdle in November 2023.

16:10 - Threeunderthrufive

He was prominent among the leaders for more than a circuit in the Grand National three weeks ago before being pulled up and has to bounce back after that. He now finds himself up against the Mullins squad of 10. At least that means he has to carry 11 stone rather than 12 stone and he will give it his best shot on ground that is in his favour.

Timeform Verdict - Pic and Warrior set for great battle

Pic d'Orhy's fine jumping and ability to sustain a strong gallop ensured he had matters under control in the Betfair Ascot Chase from a long way out and he went on to register an impressive ten-length success. That performance was up there with the pick of his efforts on Timeform's figures and gives him sound claims in this Grade 2, with only Gaelic Warrior coming out ahead of him (by just 2 lb) on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.

Pic d'Orhy arrives here fresh and looks best placed to capitalise should Gaelic Warrior fail to meet expectations, but Willie Mullins' leading hope might just have the edge after returning to form with a decisive victory in the Bowl at Aintree.

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