Tolworth Hurdle 1-2-3 predictions: who will be the first three home at Sandown?

Constitution Hill bolted up in last season's Tolworth Novices' Hurdle before continuing his meteoric rise at the Cheltenham Festival, but who will claim this year's first Grade 1? Four of our experts predict the first three home at Sandown.

2.25 Sandown Saturday: Tolworth Hurdle racecard and betting

Stuart Redding

1. Authorised Speed
2. Arctic Bresil
3. Tahmuras

Authorised Speed can make it three from three over hurdles. He was the best of the home team in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last March and has made a seamless transition to hurdling. This will be tougher than the two ordinary contests he has won recently but the Gary Moore-trained six-year-old was far too good for nine rivals in a course-and-distance novice last time and would have won even more comfortably with a better leap at the final flight.

Charlie Huggins

1. Authorised Speed
2. Tahmuras
3. L'Astroboy

Authorised Speed is two from two over hurdles including success over this course and distance last month and looks a worthy favourite. The Gary Moore-trained six-year-old faces tougher opposition this time around but will encounter the same soft ground he has thrived on in both starts over obstacles. Authorised Speed's fifth-placed effort on heavy ground behind Facile Vega in the Champion Bumper is solid form and he should have just enough to beat fellow dual hurdle scorer Tahmuras.

The latter briefly looked in trouble turning for home in a Listed event at Haydock last time before staying on powerfully to win. There was only a neck between Tahmuras and L'Astroboy in a bumper at Ffos Las in February and the Evan Williams-trained gelding made the perfect start over hurdles at the same track in November, so can complete the places.

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Jack Haynes

1. Tahmuras
2. L'Astroboy
3. Authorised Speed

Tahmuras looks a stout stayer at this trip and he should be ideally suited by this race on soft ground. He will have to step up on his Listed win at Haydock but gives the impression he has more to offer and has certainly improved for going hurdling. He gets a narrow vote over L'Astroboy, who beat Tahmuras in a bumper last season but arrives off just one hurdle win. Authorised Speed, who was the best of these in bumpers, should be in the mix but the bare form of his hurdles wins needs improving on.

Maddy Playle

1. Authorised Speed
2. Nemean Lion
3. Arctic Bresil

Authorised Speed sets a decent standard on what he achieved in last season's Champion Bumper and on his hurdling debut at Lingfield, while his course-and-distance win last time should stand him in good stead. The one to back at the prices is Nemean Lion, who is just 1lb behind on official ratings and put up a bold performance last time giving weight to a smart prospect. Arctic Bresil needs to improve but shaped well at Cork and can be involved with the strong-staying Tahmuras.

Read these next:

'The strongest I've seen' - Moore hopes Authorised has speed for Tolworth test

2023 Tolworth Hurdle: who wins Sandown's big race based on previous trends?

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