Racing Chat- Saturday March 13th

[The Brigadier]

The lull before the storm as they say. Sandown take centre stage on Saturday with the Cheltenham Festival only three days away. The two big handicaps at the Esher track are likely to be run on the slow side of good to soft with the official going on the hurdles track being good to soft (good in places) with showers forecast, though the time on Friday of the opener was slow and they appeared to be struggling to get home so it may well be riding quite slow and dead.

 

The first of the two big handicap hurdles is the EBF Novices Handicap Hurdle. A grade 3 contest run over 2m 4f run at Sandown at 1.50.

A wide open contest with bookmakers going 6/1 the field.

 

Fergal O’Brien saddles his Karl Philippe who has yet to finish out of the first two in five career starts. He bolted up at Exeter last time and will appreciate the extra furlong and a half here. He’s yet to race on anything bar soft/heavy ground although on breeding (his sire is an American bred) drier ground shouldn’t be an issue.

 

Closely tied in with Karl Philippe is David Pipe’s top weight Martinhal, who beat Karl Philippe half a length at Exeter in January but is 3lb worse off here.

 

Sam Barton, is trained by Emma Lavelle, and represents Trevor Hemmings rather than recent winner Wetlands. He won well at Doncaster 43 days ago although all his runs have been on soft/heavy ground.

 

Gladiateur Allen has already been beaten off of his mark of 131 and looks readily opposable against others who maybe ahead of their mark.

 

Colin Tizzard has his Somerset team in much better form now than earlier in the season and his Striking A Pose is on a hat trick following victories at Wincanton and Exeter. He’s a possible in a wide open contest.

 

Nicky Henderson saddles Pactrolus and Captain Morgs, both are making their handicap debut and it’s interesting that Nico De Boinville who’s ridden the latter on all four of his starts appears to have chosen Patroclus and he’s the preferred of the pair. He’s done little wrong in three starts under rules and the trip and uphill finish look ideal for him. He’s on my shortlist.

 

The Mick Preston has already run in a handicap when winning at Hereford off of 120. He’s up 6lb here and is stepping up half a mile which should suit and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 5 year old looks to have claims.

 

Twiston Davies has a second string to his bow with Beauport who will need to step up from his recent Fontwell form to take a hand in the finish here.

 

Ian Williams has his stable in flying form currently, winning with 9 of his last 32 runners , and runs Sometimes Always here who’s on a four timer having won a handicap hurdle, novice hurdle and a ‘bumper for jumpers’. Trip and ground should suit and Charlie Todd who’s ridden him on his last three starts is in the saddle once more in an attempt to win his biggest prize in his short career.

 

Paul Nicholls can never be discounted in the big Saturday races and his runner here is Jeremy Pass, who finished 1 1/4L behind Patroclus last time at Doncaster and can re-oppose on 1lb better terms.

 

Splitting Patroclus and Jeremy Pass that day was the Noel Fehily Racing Club’s Riggs, trained by the in form Dan Skelton. He too is 1lb better off with the former and on that Doncaster piece of form there shouldn’t be much between all three.

 

Press Your Luck has run poorly on his last two outings and it will be a surprise if there’s nothing more progressive to beat him.

 

Chris Honour’s Tile Tapper has bumped into Supreme Novice Hurdle hope Metier on his first two starts over timber but was a bit disappointing when failing to land the odds laid on him at Taunton last time.

 

Ocean Drifter arrives on a hat trick following victories at Fontwell and Southwell when making all so expect him to be forcing the pace here. This is however a step up in grade for him.

 

The double green of Messr’s Souede and Munir are carried by Tizzard’s second string Road Senam here but he was 20L behind Sam Barton last time and only 7lb better off. He looks poorly handicapped.

 

Sheldon is an interesting runner, trained in Wiltshire by Seamus Mullins, he followed up his Fakenham win by chasing Karl Philippe home to the tune of 10L at Exeter giving him 6lb. He receives 8lb here so is effectively a stone better off for those 10L. He appeals as each way value at around 20/1.

 

Gary Moore’s maiden Dorking Lad, ridden by son Jamie, was in the lead when the race was voided at Plumpton last time and although he’s yet to get his head in front in six starts has some half decent form and is at the right end of the handicap.

 

Summary:-

A wide open renewal with the two that I like here Patroclus and Karl Philippe with the best outsider Sheldon.

 

 

At 2.25 at Sandown it’s the Paddy Power Imperial Cup which is run over just short of 2 miles and has attracted a turnout of 15.

 

Natural History has been favourite all week and has been trained for this race by his shrewd trainer Gary Moore. An emphatic winner at Plumpton off of a gimme handicap mark of 116 by an easy 15L, he has been raised a hefty looking 16lb but may still be ahead of the handicapper. He goes on any ground and looks the one they all have to beat here.

 

Langer Dan has been the other springer this week. He was a real eye catcher last time ( his first since wind surgery) and represents the in form Skelton’s. He’s 5lb lower than when 6th in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap hurdle at Cheltenham a year ago and should run his race today.

 

Paul Nicholls can never be discounted on these big Saturday (or any day come to that!) races and saddles three here in 2019 winner Malaya, Diego Du Charmil and top weight Miranda. The latter impressed when winning at Doncaster last time and wisely Nicholls is claiming off of her with his useful conditional Angus Cheleda, for whom this will be his biggest ever win. He was in the saddle when winning at Ludlow in December so knows the horse well enough. Malaya won this off of 136 in 2019 and can now race off of two pound lower so if she turns up in top form is not out of this. Stable jockey Harry Cobden is on Diego Du Charmil who’s been keeping top company since returning to timber following a bout of chasing.

 

Bottom weight Hasanabad hails from the very much in form Ian Williams stable but wouldn’t want any showers as he’s very much a good ground horse and looking at Friday’s racing it may well have gone for him.

 

David Pipe is in decent enough form with a couple of winners over the last couple of days and saddles two here in Eamon An Cnoic and Leoncavallo. Preference would be for the Tom Scudamore ridden latter who hasn’t been seen since finishing 6th in the Cesarewitch on the flat back in October of 2020. His mark of 142 looks high enough to be honest here and he’s over looked whilst Eamon An Cnoic is 9lb higher than when beaten last time so it’s hard also to say he’s got anything in hand.

 

Mack The Man is held in high regard by his trainer Evan Williams but wasn’t never seen with a chance in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last time out and is overlooked today.

 

Hang In There is steadily dropping down the handicap having started the season on 141 he races off of 131 here but didn’t jump well last time at Kempton over Christmas and will need to improve his hurdling to feature although there’s no disputing he’s well treated.

 

The springer this afternoon has been the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained One True King who ran a good third to smart sorts Midnight River and Gallyhill at Ascot last time. He may not have stayed 2m 5f previously and the drop in trip here looks sure to suit.

 

Fransham has been plying his trade predominantly up north in handicap hurdles and although in good enough form will race here off of his highest ever handicap mark of 142.

 

Highway One O Two had Hasanabad behind when runner up at to an easy winner at Newbury last time out and has place claims for trainer Chris Gordon.

 

Mick Maestro was beaten off his highest ever mark of 135 last time (Langer Dan an eye catching run just behind) and looks to be handicapped out of this.

 

Lucy Wadham’s Miss Heritage was runner up in that handicap hurdle at Market Rasen with Mick Maestro and Langer Dan behind and will need to improve again to feature here.

 

Summary:-

Favourite Natural History could be well handicapped still despite his 16lb rise and is the one to beat.

 

Bet 2 x 1 point EW doubles 

Karl Philipee @ 11/2 / Patroclus @ 10/1 1/5th 12345 

Natural History @ 10/3 1/5th 123456 William Hills

[Tedthewolf]

Imperial Cup

Last big Handicap before Cheltenham  i strongly fancy Paul Nicholls  to take this his horses are in great form as they have been all season he won this in 2019 with MALAYA 12/1 Byrony on board this time caries 2lb less this time round cracking e/w shot imo.  Harry Cobden dumps Malaya in favour of DIEGO DU CHARMIL 16/1 and i just think the trainer has got this horse on a very good handicap again both are very strong e/w bets for me esp when you can get up to 6 places. Trainer also runs Miranda which i don't fancy but will probably hack up now!

Good Luck  All