Alex Hammond: Sandown sizzlers

Sky Sports Racing's Alex Hammond looks ahead to the feature action at Sandown on Friday and Saturday as the Flat and jumps racing worlds collide.

It wasn't so many years ago that Sandown's meeting this weekend was a mixed card with Flat racing and jumping taking place side by side. It was an intriguing sight with the big characters of the summer season rubbing shoulders with the jumping warriors.

However, several years back the format was changed with the Flat team strutting their stuff on Friday and a celebration of the outgoing jumps season on the Saturday and thus it remains. I think the balance is about right, although I did used to love a mixed card. So we celebrate what has been a jumps season like no other, played out behind closed doors and crown the respective champions 24 hours after the blue bloods have strutted their stuff on the Esher turf.

Let's focus on Friday then where the highest class race is the Group 2 Bet365 Mile, but it is the least competitive, with Palace Pier dominating the small field (Sky Bet's 1/2 favourite).

Let's be honest, it should be a walk in the Sandown Park for John and Thady Gosden's star miler after a season in 2020 that saw him progress from a Newcastle handicap into a genuine Group 1 star with victories in the St James's Palace Stakes and the Prix Jacques le Marois.

He could only finish a disappointing third on his final outing in the QEII on Champions Day, a race on testing ground which saw him lose a front shoe, but if he's anything like back to his best he'll take all the beating. He's rated at least 9lb higher than anything else in the field and escapes a Group 1 penalty as his wins came before 31st August (the conditions of this race state that penalties are imposed for a horse that has won a Group 1 after that date).

So completely straightforward then? Well, this is horseracing and I was particularly taken by Khuzaam's win on All-Weather Finals Day on Good Friday and I'm not alone in that. His eye-catching performance in the mile hinted at bigger things to come and if he can translate that ability to the turf there will be some nice races to be won by Roger Varian's five-year-old, who has been a slow burner, but seems to be cooking on gas now. Having said that, it will be some progression if he can beat Palace Pier in this. (He's Sky Bet's 5/2 second favourite)

There are two Group 3 races on Friday's card, the Bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes and Bet365 Classic Trial. The former race looks a real conundrum, but I think there's one that's overpriced in the mile and a quarter contest.

Thunderous represents the in-form Mark Johnston yard and makes his season debut in this. He hasn't been seen since winning the Dante at York last June in which he beat another of Friday's rivals, Highest Ground. The latter was sent off odds on favourite but the race didn't pan out perfectly for him on ground that was soft enough.

This is a cracker and I'm not easily dismissing Sir Michael Stoute's colt, but at the prices I'm happy to side with Thunderous here despite the overall quality of the heat. He's a 4/1 shot with Sky Bet. Waldkonig is a half-brother to Arc winner Waldgeist and he has already been out this season when winning a Pontefract handicap, but needs to step up again in this.

Hukum was last seen running in the St Leger and the drop in trip will help him as he was keen enough at Doncaster, but whether this is his optimum trip remains to be seen. Extra Elusive is another with realistic claims for Roger Charlton, but the yard hasn't hit top gear yet, so I'm happy to overlook him. So, it's Thunderous for me here to continue the good run of his stable.

The Classic Trial is the other Group 3. Yibir is the likely favourite for trainer Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin trainer looks set for another scorching season if the way he has jumped out the blocks is anything to go by.

Adayar also represents the stable, but jockey William Buick has picked Yibir as his mount. He won an influential conditions stakes at Newbury last September and whilst he's a worthy favourite, he needs to improve again. The highest rated colt in the field is Martyn Meade's Lone Eagle.

He signed off last season with a win in a Group 3 at Newmarket and the Derby was mentioned after that. This will let his trainer know where he stands regarding the Epsom Classic and I expect a good run.

Aidan O'Brien runs Sir Dragonet's full-brother Sir Lucan and Trawlerman was the impressive winner of a 12-furlong Pontefract maiden on his seasonal debut for team Gosden, but his stout pedigree means the drop to 10 furlongs may not be ideal.

The way Richard Hannon has hit the ground running makes Etonian an appealing choice too, but I'm concerned that he has too much speed for this and we may seem him drop in trip going forward. Recovery Run was one place behind Lone Eagle in the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket last Autumn and his trainer Andrew Balding has made a habit of winning this race, so I can't confidently dismiss him.

I think Lone Eagle just edges it for me and it should be a really informative contest. He's 9/2 second favourite with Sky Bet.

On to Saturday where we celebrate the end of the 2020/21 National Hunt season.

The feature race is the Bet365 Gold Cup, a handicap chase over 3 miles 5 furlongs. Understandably given the way the Irish trained horses have dominated in the UK this season there has been sustained support for Henry de Bromhead's Plan Of Attack and the undoubted star of the season, Rachael Blackmore, is very keen on her mount's chance in this staying contest.

He has a bit to prove on recent evidence and was unfortunate to fall in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham when still going well on his most recent start. Blinkers seem to have made a difference to him and given a clear round off his light weight he has obvious claims. He's only 4/1 now though in an open race.

Potterman appeals more at 9/1 with Sky Bet. Alan King won the last running of this race with Talkischeap and this lad comes here fresh having not been seen since unseating his rider in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury. That's obviously not an ideal preparation, but the decent ground and right handed track bring out the best in him and he comes here with less miles on the clock this season than many of his rivals.

It's been a turbulent jumps season with some incredible highs and crushing lows. It goes without saying that the loss of amateur rider Lorna Brooke at the age of just 37 at the weekend was the worst news and deepest condolences go to her family and friends. The jumping fraternity are incredibly close knit and I'm sure that despite the celebrations on Saturday she will be in everyone's minds.