Sandown 03/12/11

A big day of two mile racing at Sandown, topped off with a nice 3m 5f handicap chase. And in the entrance they had a mince pie mountain. What this was is simply a huge pile of complementary mince pies. But what sort of crazed sociopath would you have to be to not warm to the concept of a mountain of mince pies? 

Going: Good to Soft (Soft places)

Race 1: Jaguar Southern Dealers Novice Hurdle [2m 0.5f]

1: Tetlami     2: Black Thunder     3: Knight Pass

Winner owned: Susan Roy, trained: Nicky Henderson, ridden: David Bass

Debuting over hurdles on the back of a twenty-month absence since he was bumpering, Tetlami made an impressive start too his career jumping stuff. The going was right up his street and when the button was pushed on the accelerate control, he produced an instant response, when many horses in his circumstances would not. In contrast, Black Thunder had won his bumper on quick ground, so could have wilted in these easing conditions. Time may tell that this was a very respectable start to hurdling. The key guide to this was Knight Pass, who has only flopped in the festival bumper. He had won his previous hurdle race comfortably beating a 117-rated horse into second, and he lost to the winner by the seven lengths which his penalty accounts for. However, he also looks like the type that wants a longer race to be seen at his best. Tante Sissi completed the first quartet, who were well clear of the next four, in turn well ahead of the four stragglers.

Race 2: Petempts Handicap Hurdle [2m 6f]

1: Poungach     2: Cantlow     3: Safran De Cotte     4: Warne's Way

Winner owned: Donlon, Doyle, MacDonald & Webb, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Ruby Walsh

The usual tale for a Pertemps qualifier with any paranoia as to who is taking the race seriously and who sees it as a means to a March end being entirely justified. Poungach was very much unexposed, with only three races in bumpers and hurdles to his name. His rating was 137 and there were equally valid arguments for saying it was a gift or a nightmare mark, and probably most points in between. In the end, Poungach turned the race into a rout, and could well turn out to be too good for messing about with the final of this series. After a tough start to the season at Wetherby and a lacklustre follow-up, Cantlow showed a bit more spark, and looked a big danger turning for home, but at that point observers from afar had no idea just how much the winner had up his sleeve. Safran De Cotte was very much in the "best of the rest" category, not showing much chance of worrying the first two home, but outstaying Warne's Way for the minor honours. 

An view from the Gods, who prefer staying chases anyway. My Brother Sylvest sets a mad pace, an Warne's Way gets away with having neither the faith to match him nor the confidence to let him concoct his own sporting downfall. The others are hard to pick out, but Poungach seems to be the one in about seventh on the stand side (yellow and blue colours), with Cantlow just behind him (pale colours, green cap) alongside the grey Safran De Cotte.

Race 3: Markel Insurance Henry VIII Novice Chase, Grade 1 [2m]

1: Al Ferof     2: For Non Stop     3: Lancetto

Winner owned: John Hales, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Ruby Walsh

An unimpressive win for Al Ferof in the season's other Grade 1 novice chase for two milers, but unimpressive not because he showed any technical flaws, exactly the opposite. He did nothing nothing wrong and still only just coped with For Non Stop, whose willingness to go on and overtake the winner at the death was open to question. One possible excuse is that he has hardly ever run right-handed, and maybe he will sparkle more brightly the other way round. For Non Stop had fallen in his only chase run, and before today had only once raced at a trip shorter than two and a half miles, so hardly seemed primary two mile chase material, at any level. Having won a battle for the lead (all seven jumped the first in a good approximation of a line across the course), Lancetto, whose hurdle rating was only 133, put up a good showing to end up third. 

Lancetto sets out to stamp his authority on Al Ferof, which served only to motivate the favourite (1). Lidar gives main chase, followed by Ultimate, a mostly obscured Eradicate and For Non Stop at the back.

Race 4: Bavaria Imported Premium Lager Handicap Hurdle, listed race [2m 0.5f]

1: Ubi Ace     2: Via Galilei     3: Gibb River

Winner owned: NJ Maher, trained: Tim Walford, ridden: Robert Walford

Typical Saturday handicap fare, intended to be far too unfathomable to make picking the winner anything other than a random number selection job. It did, however, produce one of the epic finishes that Sandown has an uncanny knack of delivering. Ubi Ace led rounding the final bend and had plenty of opponents chipping away at him like annoying rodents around a discarded loaf. Despite being lumbered with top weight, Via Galilei proved especially stubborn and lost by only a neck. Had the race been an extra 100m long, he may have got in front of Ubi Ace, but in turn been passed by Gibb River, whose effort looked to have ended jumping the final flight, only for him to find a second wind halfway up the run-in. That trio were well ahead of Edgardo Sol, who did not cope with the rating rise that inevitably followed his Cheltenham win.

Race 5: Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase, Grade 1 [2m]

1: Sizing Europe     2: Kauto Stone     3: Cornas 

Winner owned: Ann & Alan Potts Partnership, trained: Henry de Bromhead, ridden: Andrew Lynch

For a horse that seems to liven his ideas up come the spring, Sizing Europe looked none to shoddy in winning this, although the race was not really of Grade 1 quality. Outside of the reigning champion at the distance we had Kauto Stone (best form at 2m 6f in France, not often raced at 2m), Wishfull Thinking (never raced at less than 2m 3f in hurdles or chases) and a quartet of decent handicappers. Wishfull Thinking again set off at an unsustainable pace, and as his biggest dangers were not likely to fail for lack of stamina, that tactic seemed doomed from the off. He eventually was reeled in by the field, and then watched most of them drift ahead. Sizing Europe attacked at the pond fence, and it never appeared that Kauto Stone's brave effort would ever be enough for better than second. Cornas plugged on for a place, but in a manner similarly threat-free to the horse ahead of him. He was in just about ideal conditions here, so it is not likely to springboard him into a higher level of achievement than he already has managed, and he more or less ran to the difference in their handicap ratings with fourth-placed I'msingingtheblues. For some reason, the racecard compilers have slotted in a wanted poster for a war criminal from Yugoslav civil wars to replace the picture of Hadden Frost, who rode I'msingingtheblues. Could this impact performance?

Race 6: Otkritie London National Handicap Chase [3m 5f]

1: Deep Purple     2: Do It For Dalkey     3: Any Currency

Winner owned: Paul Green, trained: Evan Williams, ridden: Paul Moloney

An extraordinary way to end the day, with an amazing ride from Paul Moloney coaxing a win from Deep Purple, who was on the wrong ground, and an unlikely stayer for this distance, even on perfect going. He also overcame a flat spot on the far side of the course, which would have ended the chances of a lesser team, able to recover and stalk his way back into contention on the run-in, where he got the better of more proven stayers. This was the first handicap chase that Deep Purple had tackled, mostly getting involved in Grade 1 and 2 races of varied strengths, and a season and a half of iffy results had at least got him a much reduced mark to race from. Do It For Dalkey was raised in class for this, a 0-150 race, but had the credentials for dour persistence needed to be competitive. The fact that a horse of Deep Purple's limited stamina swooped on him late in the race probably indicates that he is better against less illustrious opponents, even if it means conceding weight. Any Currency just edged the pace making Runshan for third, with Major Malarkey fifth, all of whom approached the last in a state of "close enough if good enough."

Plus Points

Knight Pass (race 1): Not exactly an unknown quantity, but when upped to 2m 4f plus, he should really show what he is made of.

Taigan (race 1): Won one of three French bumpers, fell on hurdles debut and had a bit of an educational next. The last mile of this race was run a bit too quick for him, but he plugged away and should now qualify for handicaps, and as long as the master of the weight apportionments does nothing absurd, a more prominent showing is on the cards.

Cantlow (race 2): Getting back to his best from last season, and he is lightly raced enough to have further progress in him. Should make a cracking chaser for next season. 

Aachen (race 2): Has not seen much racing in the last couple of years, and this was the end of another nine month absence. He was not really asked to do much until the leaders had left him trailing, but when tested, he finished strongly for sixth. Far from a lost cause. 

Lancetto (race 3): Took a leap in class, and was not quite up to it, but there are respectable two mile chases to be won. His jumps career has been prolific on softish going, but on the flat quick was ideal, so he is one to trust whatever the weather may fling at him. 

Gibb River (race 4): Came unstuck at Cheltenham after a good last season, and bounced back on his first run since, in softer ground than he was winning on. Clearly not a slouch at two miles, a longer trip really could put him in an even bigger league on better ground. 

Kauto Stone (race 5): Does not look like a horse to beat the very top of the tree two milers, but back up in trip will be a different story.

Deep Purple (race 6): Still did not convince that marathons are ideal, but 148 is clearly a very workable rating if dropped back in distance a little, and with the first five barely sixth lengths apart, he ought not to be raised too much. 

Any Currency (race 6): Does not have the best record returning from a break, so this has the stamp of a very acceptable return to action. 

Major Malarkey (race 6): A couple of blemishes in his jumping, but minor ones by the standards he is capable of, and in the end he was only fifth. A reasonable comeback, and one of these long distance races can be won, but he will probably not be the sort to go on a winning spree. 

Down Arrows

Sole Survivor (race 1): One of the two previous winners over hurdles to line up, he was in amongst the leaders when ploughing through the second last and losing his position. He was eased heavily afterwards, but do not forget that it was his own unprovoked mistake that put him in that situation. 

Drumbaloo (race 2): Won his first race for the current yard, and the form of that has been solid, but in this big field and with hard work needed, he looked less than 100% keen to have to try hard.

For Non Stop (race 3): Only won once over hurdles, although his rating was 112 when he scored, and soared through the odd losses to 140. However, he got close enough to pass Al Ferof here, but seemed a bit shy of finishing the job. 

Eradicate (race 3): Lost his chase debut by a nose, in a two runner race and won a three runner affair afterwards. His limitations were exposed in a properly competitive heat.

Megastar (race 3): Did look potentially top notch in his early races, but in three chases he has finished last and puzzled every time. Avoid unless back hurdling. 

Edgardo Sol (race 4): Impressed in success at Cheltenham, yet looked to have hit his ceiling already in this, as he did nothing wrong, but was simply not good enough on the day.

Rajdhani Express (race 4): Had some French form that said he was thrown in at the weights, but ended his time there with two pulled ups. He cruised through the race and at the second last was going as well as anything, but found nothing under pressure and struggled along for fifth. Perhaps he is the one Nicky Henderson horse that turned out badly needing the race, but today combined with his recent history implies something more serious is amiss.

Wishfull Thinking (race 5): Before this his record on good to soft, soft and heavy was 2111F1116. Until his brain slots back into gear, it is going to be difficult to place him to improve on it. 

UK-Jumping Selections

Ubi Ace (race 4): Tricked us completely in his very early hurdling runs, as instead of crying out for a longer distance, he had substantial improvement in him to become a very decent two miler. A battling win of great credit.