I will be at Sandown tomorrow for the Imperial Cup, a meeting I have not missed in a very, very long time. It's always a great day and fingers crossed it looks like being nice weather too. I'll give the run down of the first 5 races.
13:15, Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Melon 9/4, 2pts win
On paper this looks an open race with plenty of these looking ahead of their mark. Risk It All looks like he will end up being much better than an opening handicap mark of 109 but he really needs to learn to race and until he does, he doesn't look a punting option. Galactic Charm represents the same stable, who do well in this race, and he ran a mighty race on hurdling debut to finish second to Fred Winter bound Hot Fuss here back in December. He followed that up with a win at Fontwell but that was a very poor race and he pulled up last time out, albeit in a strong race, at Cheltenham. He doesn't look to have as much in hand off a mark of 117 as some of these. Lucky Bere looks a staying type and is respected now tackling a stiffer track but preference is for the top weight here in the shape of Melon. He has impressed since sent hurdling by connections and won from a subsequent Listed winner on debut at Doncaster despite a howler at the last. He struggled in bad ground at Chepstow in a decent race after that but bounced back to win readily at Wetherby 44 days ago (3rd won since) and he is winning races suggesting that there is plenty more in the tank. I think this track will suit and he will be stepping on up through the ranks in time.
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13:50, European Breeders' Fund Betfair 'National Hunt' Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final
Belliano 9/2, 2pts each-way (5 places)
Malinificent 33/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
What a great race this is, as usual it must be said. I expect the form of this race to work out well and most in this are ahead of their marks it's just working out who is the furthest. Meetmebythesea certainly looks ahead of his mark but the market has a firm grip on him now and it's not impossible that The Kemble Brewery could turn around form from their last meeting now on better terms and this step up in trip sure to suit. They are at the top of the handicap and must give weight to plenty of nice types though. Emma Lavelle's string is in decent form and she must have a decent chance here with George's Lad after a facile success over a similar trip at Doncaster last time out but Belliano hasn't looked back since sent hurdling by connections and looks a potential graded horse in the making. He finished a gallant second to The New Lion at Chepstow back in October before seeing off a subsequent winner in game style at Ascot on his next start. That was over 2 miles 5 furlongs and he looked a stayer that day but what impressed me was the speed he showed at Market Rasen last time out when he readily saw off re-opposing Silver Thorn after the last. His form looks solid and after the pace he showed last time out I cannot see this slight drop in trip being an issue, especially on this much stiffer track. I expect him to be galloping dourly up the hill late on. At the prices I do think Malinificent should run well under champion jockey elect Sean Bowen. Connections knew they had a horse who would benefit from a stamina test after seeing him perform well in points but elected to keep him to the minimum trip for his 3 efforts in maiden hurdles to date. He has been finishing his races well but finding things happening too fast for him. He's up in trip on handicap debut and he too should appreciate this stiffer track. The form from the last day at Bangor I think will hold up well and it's also worth noting that he's been doing all of his running on heavy ground so there's every chance he'll find further improvement now faced with a nicer surface.
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14:25, Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle
Lump Sun 10/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
Wreckless Eric 10/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
This is one of the more open renewals of the Imperial Cup that I can remember. Go Dante must surely have a great chance returning to defend his crown off a 2 pound lower mark but the ground his year will be much better than 12 months ago and he doesn't exactly come into his in much form. Spirits Bay is respected with Sam Twiston-Davies set to ride for the first time and Bo Zenith surely has the potential to bag one of these big races but is clearly fragile and isn't the most solid of options. Lump Sum however, is as consistent as you like and if not for the handicap blot that was Joyeuse, Sam Thomas' classy hurdler would have defied top weight to win the William Hill Hurdle last month. He's 3 pounds higher here but this does not look as difficult a race as that day and the only 2 times he has been outside of the first 3 over hurdles has been when tacking grade ones. I expect him to go close again today along with Jonjo O'Neill's unexposed 5 year old Wreckless Eric. Keilan Woods' mount won off a 10 pound lower mark at Cheltenham back in November when coming from a long way back but ran just as well at the December meeting when beating everything bar the runaway winner the next day. He suggested that day that he was still a bit ahead of the handicapper and he can be forgiven for a below par run at Windsor last time out as the course did not suit him and the ground would have been softer than ideal. He will be more at home on this better surface and considering how much he relished the hill at Cheltenham at the back end of 2024, I can see him finishing off very fast here.
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15:00, British Stallion Studs EBF Mares' Standard Open NH Flat Race
Chrisma Cat 15/8, 1pt win
Supreme Malinas is respected for the Skelton's as a Listed winner already and she will find this easier than the bumper she contested at Windsor the last day but she has shown her hand and may not be quite at home on this better ground. A Path To Ronda, Phillipa's Choice and Easy Love are unexposed and come here off the back of easy enough wins but on form they have a bit of ground to make up on Alan King's mare Chrisma Cat. This 5 year old won an ordinary bumper at Warwick in November but stepped up markedly on that to go very close to winning a Listed event at Market Rasen last time out. She would have won that race with a couple more strides and her running style suggests that she will love the hill here. She should take plenty of beating in receipt of 4 pounds from Supreme Malinas.
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15:35, Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase
Java Point 9/2, 1pt win
This is a wide open handicap chase considering there are just 6 runners. Goshen must have a chance back at a track he has run well at in the past and in a less competitive race but he isn't a reliable choice. Dreaming Blue comes into this in form having finished second over course and distance last time out but he does look handicapped up to his best. Hoe Joly Smoke looked like a horse on the up when bolting up here in December but ran no sort of race at Newbury last time out and he needs to bounce back from that. Excello is a difficult horse to decipher as he has been running poorly over hurdles this season but now goes chasing off a 12 pound lower mark than he raced off at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. If he shows the level of form he did in December of 2023 then he's certainly up to winning this but again, he isn't overly reliable so instead preference is for Henry Oliver's Java Point. This 10 year old arrives here off just a pound higher mark than when winning the Masters Chase over course and distance in February of last year, and this does not look at tough a race as that. He was in form earlier in the season when running well in competitive events at Cheltenham before pulling up in a tough race at Ascot last time out when he never travelled. He's back at a course he likes, on ground he will relish and after a dry start to 2025, the stable is 1 for 1 in March so far.
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