Garden ready to bloom

Monet’s Garden, unbeaten in two starts over fences, will have his first crack at Graded company in the Racing Post 20 Years of Service Pendil Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

The Nicky Richards-trained eight-year-old will be stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time following bloodless successes over the minimum trip at Ayr and Carlisle.

“He runs at Sandown, all being well, and we can get a bit of experience into him,” Richards told the Racing Post.

“We will get Saturday out of the way first then we will make a plan from there. I hope the weather is kind to us and doesn’t go and spoil things but if the ground is on the soft side, that should be fine.”