Black Thunder has slipped to a handy mark and looks worth siding with at 6/1 in the 3.30 at Sandown today.
Paul Nicholls’ gelding is a four-time winner over fences, and the last of those successes came over course and distance in a class 1 Listed novice even where he scored easily in the mud by 11 lengths off an official rating of 155.
The nine-year-old was also far from disgraced at last year’s Cheltenham Festival when seventh of 24 to The Druids Nephew off 155, and is now able to race off just 149.
That makes him very well-treated on the pick of his form, and Black Thunder also now drops dowm into class 2 company having run in class 1 contests on his last six outings.
With underfoot conditions holding no fears, and Sam Twiston-Davies in the saddle, everything looks in place for a huge run.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 2pts each-way Black Thunder (6/1 bet365 – BOG, enhanced place terms 1/4 odds 1,2,3)