SECRET SQUIRREL was a good winner at Taunton and he’s got form on good ground.

There may be more to come from BE AWARE (each-way) who is back down in trip for the Skelton team of trainer Dan and jockey, Harry.

MAASAI MARA (each-way) makes his handicap debut over fences, having been a fairly decent hurdler. As a four-year-old he also gets the weight-for-age allowance.

I’m going for CANNOCK PARK for Paul Robson. He’s not straightforward but he’s very talented. He won a bumper at Bangor last year and he followed that up with a win at Cheltenham in November. He’s a decent horse and his rating of 131 is workable.

STEEL ALLY pulled clear with last week’s Cheltenham winner Doyen Quest on his Newbury handicap debut last month and might prove the answer to this ultra-competitive opener.

THUNDER ROAR ran a very good race over 1m at Doncaster last time for second. With that run under his belt and a fancy for soft ground, this horse is a player.

The top weights Raadobarg and Al Mubhir have conditions in their favour and have obvious class chances but they have to give plenty of weight to THUNDER ROAR who surely will be bang in the mix.

RAADOBARG didn’t run too badly in the Spring Cup last week when seventh, but he’s a lot happier with soft or heavy in the going description now.

AL MUBHIR was a clear-cut winner of this race 12 months ago and while he’s 7lb higher this time round, the 5-year-old looks the way to go with conditions in his favour.

I think this trip, at this track, is tailor-made for THE REAL WHACKER. He will love everything about this place.

HITMAN never quite delivers what you want, but he travelled like a machine against Shishkin in the Denman Chase at Newbury. If he bounces back to form in receipt of some weight, he can bag a decent prize.

This contest tends to go to a classy performer and looks like a good opportunity for THE REAL WHACKER to get back on track. If he’s bounced out in front and gets into a nice rhythm, he should love the test that Sandown offers.

Quite a few of these are just below Grade 1 horses but I’m siding with GA LAW. He got outpaced in the Ryanair at Cheltenham and the drop in grade will suit him. He can get back on track here.

HITMAN has produced his high-class form only once this term but he’s favoured by the weights here and this doesn’t look a strong renewal.

ROACH POWER won here on heavy ground so there’s no concerns there. He looked in need of a run last time and with only 8st 2lb to carry, he’s the one.

LOOK BACK SMILING comes here with a big chance. The return to 7f should be ideal and he wasn’t disgraced in the Spring Cup at Newbury.

ZIP (each-way) has winning form on soft and heavy ground and makes plenty of appeal and he’s a former course winner.

Marco Botti has his stable in good nick so his handily-weighted RAINBOW FIRE is fancied to repeat his success in this event 12 months ago.

JONBON’S got a quick turnaround but I’m not concerned about that, this is a track he excels at and he’s unbeaten round here over fences.

Here we go – finally we get El Fabiolo v Jonbon! I have always thought EL FABIOLO is the best two-miler around and let’s hope he bounces back after his Cheltenham effort last time.

JONBON surprised me with his determination to win at Aintree and has always gone well at Sandown. He won this contest last year from Captain Guinness.

EL FABIOLO is in great form at home and he’s flying despite his Cheltenham mistake. I watched him during the week and I’m really happy with him. I’m expecting him to win.

EL FABIOLO and Jonbon have met twice before and the score stands at 1-1. The selection was firmly in command when they locked horns in the Arkle last spring and, despite fluffing his lines in the Champion Chase, he remains the star attraction in the two-mile chasers’ division. Edwardstone is best of the rest.

I’m backing LE MILOS for the Skelton team. He’s lightly raced, unlike some of these, and I really like this horse.

AMIRITE (each-way) was favourite for the 2023 Irish National landed by subsequent Aintree winner I Am Maximus and I don’t think he’s out of this for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore.

I suspect this is as close to the plan as you can get for LE MILOS, given his interrupted season. Given he won the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in 2022 over this trip, it looks an obvious end of season target now.

Willie Mullins has a few in here but I’m siding with Henry de Bromhead’s runner AMIRITE. I can see why a few are on him as he’s been crying out for the ground. He’s fresh and he hasn’t ran since Christmas. He’ll go well.

There are plenty with claims in a typically competitive renewal of this contest, including last year’s victor KITTY’S LIGHT, who looks fairly treated in his bid for a repeat success.