Paul Nicholls: Minella Yoga is my best chance of a winner on Saturday at Sandown

Sandown on the final day of the jump racing season is always a good meeting, although this year it will be arguably not quite as competitive as it was last year when Willie Mullins brought over a battalion of runners from Ireland.

It's always a good card and I enjoy it as a great end to the season. And then we are back to zero on Sunday and planning for next season.

Paul Nicholls' Saturday runners at Sandown

Sandown 13:45 - Minella Yoga

He didn't get to the Cheltenham Festival so we had this as our plan for him and he qualified at Taunton when he won there the other day. He has a mark of 132 so he runs 8lb lower as a four-year-old which makes him quite attractive. In the trial at Cheltenham he was right up behind Maestro Conti, who's rated 143 now, and he ran well that day.

Arguably, he could be well-handicapped. I'm amazed by his price but Dan's horse Kadastral is probably taking the market a bit. Kadastral won a £100k bumper at Newbury last year and If you'd asked me at the end of last season I would have said Kadastral would go on to be rated 140+ but he has not shown that this season yet. So arguably he could be well-handicapped as well. I'm just not convinced Kadastral wants this quick ground. I think Dan believes his other horse in the race, Dutch Corner, is well-handicapped.

It is an interesting race and I think we have a big chance. I think we are well-handicapped but this is a good race, one we have done very well in, and there will be improvers, but I think my horse will run very well. Arguably he is my best chance of the day at Sandown on Saturday.

Sandown 14:20 - Matterhorn

This race has been a happy hunting ground for me, winning three of the last six renewals. Last year was a bit of a disaster for us, when we ended up losing Pic d'Orhy at the second fence, and Gaelic Warrior won an now he's a Gold Cup winner so there you go.

Mattherhorn had a run the other day over two miles, he wants to two-and-a-half, and although he has never been two-six, I am convinced he wants it. He loves the ground, will love the track in the spring and must have a great chance because he is fresher than most of the horses in this race. He has a lovely chance.

As for the future, there is a lovely two-and-a-half mile handicap at Uttoxeter in a month's time, a £50K race that he won last year, and I presume we will have a look at that again for him.

Sandown 16:02 - Rubaud

Kabral Du Mathan is the favourite but he had a hard race at Cheltenham and If the ground turns out to be a little bit faster, I wouldn't be surprised if Dan chose not to run him. If he runs he will be hard to beat.

Put a line through Rubaud's run at Cheltenham when he pulled up in the Grand Annual. His form over hurdles has been fantastic this season, he loves fast ground, will get the trip and he won the Pendil over two-and-a-half last year. I saw him at 18/1 somewhere last night and that's a massive price and an insult to him. He's a brilliant horse over both codes but I'd say he is 100 per cent a better hurdler than chaser.

Sandown 16:40 - Go West

He loves a small field and he will get one here. He didn't jump well at Kempton the last day and god knows why, it cost him any chance at all in the race. Freddie won on him at Musselburgh before that and is keeping the ride on him. He is a good, tough horse but is handicapped to the hilt at 139 and has it all to do.

Sandown 17:15 - Fasol

He's got 10st 5lb and Olive's claim. He will love the ground and two miles round Plumpton last time, he ran a blooming good race. If he hadn't made a mistake at the third last he would have been third. He was flat out the whole way there and this race might just suit him. I can see him being a big each-way player.

Paul's best chance on Saturday: Minella Yoga

Now read Paul Nicholls' season preview here.