Ben Jones Saturday rides blog: 'There seems to be plenty of speed, which is going to suit him'

Ben Jones shares his Saturday rides blog heading into the first weekend of horse racing in 2026, previewing his action at Sandown.

• Fouroneohfever - Sandown - 12:15 race odds

• Vanderpoel - Sandown - 12:45 race odds

• Can You Call - Sandown - 13:50 race odds

12.01 - Sandown - Fouroneohfever

I'm heading to Sandown on Saturday, where I've got three rides: two for Ben Pauling and one for Evan Williams. My first of the day is Fouroneohfever for Ben in a maiden hurdle. We haven't had him all that long, and he's a former flat horse who was highly regarded there - and if he takes to hurdling, given his rating, then I'd say he'd be a decent animal to work with. His schooling at home has been very good and we're very much looking forward to seeing how he takes to hurdles. If he takes to it as well as we think, then he should be a good little horse for us. And Sandown is a lovely track for us to start him with, so I'm very much looking forward to this one.

The race seems a very decent one for a horse who is having his first run over hurdles, and if he's as mature in it as he seems to be at home, then hopefully he'll have a good little each-way chance.

My next is another for Ben called Vanderpoel in the handicap chase, and this is another one who we thought a lot of going into novice chasing this year. His first couple of runs weren't as good as we would have liked, but he was back on track the last day at Ascot, a couple of weeks ago. He settled great there, jumped fantastic and was just all-round much more like the horse we thought we had at the start of the year. 

He seems to be in similar form at home to that day at Ascot; I schooled him on Wednesday and I'd like to think he knows what he's doing now and his confidence is up. If that is the case then he should have a very good chance. There seems to be plenty of speed in the race, which is going to suit him, and I'd like to think he'll be my best chance of the day.

1.50 - Sandown - Can You Call

And then we finish the day at Sandown with Can You Call in the veterans' series for Evan, and I won on him the last day at Cheltenham in a veterans' qualifier, and to be honest he won there very nicely. He's gone up a few pounds for winning, but the day he won at Cheltenham, he did so with a little bit in hand, so hopefully that extra weight isn't going to stop him. If he can get into the same rhythm and can jump how he did the last day, then I'd like to think we'll be there or thereabout as we're turning into home. 

It's a really nice book of rides, I just hope the cold weather stays away and we can look forward to a great weekend of racing.

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