Friday horse racing tips: Betting expert Dave Nevison marks your card for Sandown

This year’s Imperial Cup meeting at Sandown has a different shape to it with no amateur events, but it’s an interesting first-day card and I am hoping a young jockey with three fancied rides can really set himself up for a good time at the Cheltenham Festival.

Although a beaten favourite last week, I am going to stick with him as I am convinced he can win off this mark of 117.

He has improved with each of his three runs this season and probably put up another much-improved performance last time – although some who backed him from 9-2 into 9-4 favourite may not agree!

Our Dot’s Baby beat him last time and was probably back to his best – and having dropped 22lbs in the weights, was extremely well-handicapped if so. Song Of The Hunter was hassled for the lead throughout that race and looks much more likely to get an uncontested lead here.

He also has Kevin Brogan on board now and, even though he cannot claim in this race for conditionals, he is invariably a positive booking. I am hoping he will have a very good afternoon.

He performed well on bumper debut on good ground so, although his hurdles wins have come on heavy going, I am hopeful that Adicci is not just a slogger in poor conditions.

He looked capable of winning a handicap off his current mark last time when second to a Cheltenham-bound handicapper of David Pipe’s, finishing clear of the rest.

Kevin Brogan can claim his 5lbs in this race and that should prove very valuable in a competitive handicap. He is a furlong down in trip here but, on a stiffer track, I don’t anticipate that being a problem.

I am hoping this will be the final leg of a Kevin Brogan treble and give the jockey his third straight win aboard this seven-year-old.

I am in the very unenviable position of having tipped this horse twice for this column recently and they have been the only times he has got beat, so hopefully I have not missed out on the paydays!

Apple Rock certainly goes well for Brogan and the form of his two recent wins looks strong. Ben Pauling has chosen to run him in a 0-120 event even though his mark has risen to 122, obviously hoping to exploit a class advantage while he still can. The claim will make that easier and he certainly looks the progressive horse in the race.