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14:10 Sandown Park

Sunderlands Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Class B)

  • 23 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 110y
  • Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 4m 8.80s
  • 23 Ran
1
Silk - WHITE, ORANGE and WHITE striped cap
14/1
  • Form 350-330
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-12

tracked leaders, ridden and one pace after 3 out, beaten before next

3
Silk - YELLOW, BLACK chevron, check cap
33/1
  • Form 55-2200
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-6

held up in rear, slightly hampered on bend after 2nd, no danger and struggling from 3 out

4
Silk - White, Mauve stars
  • Form 4-21211
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-6

tracked leaders, hit 3 out, led narrowly going well 2 out, mistake last, soon headed, one pace flat

5
Silk - Black, Yellow cross belts, Yellow cap
10/1
  • Form 5001-00
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-6

always in rear

6
Silk - Pink, Light Blue and Royal Blue chevrons on sleeves, Light Blue cap
  • Form 111024
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-2

chased leaders until weakened approaching 2 out

7
Silk - Purple, Yellow sleeves, Purple spots and spots on cap
  • Form 26511-1
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-2

mid-division, effort after 3 out, ridden and one pace from next

8
Silk - White, large Black spots
40/1
  • Form 1410-16
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-1

always behind

9
Silk - WHITE, large BLACK spots, BLACK cap
25/1
  • Form 1110
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-1

held up in mid-division, mistake and weakened 3 out, pulled up before 2 out

10
Silk - Red and White (quartered), Black and White halved sleeves, Black cap, White star
40/1
  • Form 1P0061
  • Age 8
  • Weight 10-12

always rear, tailed off 3 out

11
Silk - Light Blue, Maroon chevron, halved sleeves, Light Blue and Maroon quartered cap
33/1
  • Form 4/5-F002
  • Age 7
  • Weight 10-10

behind, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out

12
Silk - Black, Orange hoops, Black cap, Orange star
  • Form P4-1311
  • Age 7
  • Weight 10-10

behind, slightly hampered bend after 2nd, no danger after

13
Silk - Pink, White striped sleeves, White cap
12/1
  • Form 213-
  • Age 5
  • Weight 10-9

held up well in rear, mistake 3 out, stayed on from 2 out, never able to challenge

14
Silk - White, White cap, Royal Blue star
20/1
  • Form 00P0-P4
  • Age 8
  • Weight 10-8

pulled hard, chasing leaders when pulled up before 3rd, saddle slipped

15
Silk - Light Blue, Red stars, Light Blue sleeves
33/1
  • Form 542046
  • Age 6
  • Weight 10-8

held up towards rear, slightly hampered bend after 2nd, headway under pressure approaching 2 out, soon one pace

16
Silk - Red, white cross belts, black and white hooped cap
33/1
  • Form 311310
  • Age 6
  • Weight 10-8

mid-divsion, stayed under pressure from 3 out, one pace from next

17
Silk - Purple, Yellow Cross of Lorraine, Yellow sleeves, Purple armlets, Yellow cap
  • Form 161110
  • Age 7
  • Weight 10-6

chased leaders, mistake 3 out, driven and weakened before next

18
Silk - Black, white sash and sleeves, gold cap
16/1
  • Form 441
  • Age 5
  • Weight 10-5

held up towards rear, headway under pressure approaching 2 out, one pace in 3rd when mistake last

19
Silk - Orange and Dark Green (quartered), Dark Green sleeves, hooped cap
  • Form 212151
  • Age 9
  • Weight 10-5

in touch, hit 4th, mistake 3 out, weakaned before next

20
Silk - DARK BLUE, YELLOW cross belts, collar and cuffs, striped cap
  • Form 2341
  • Age 6
  • Weight 10-5

led, mistake 3 out, ridden and weakening and headed when blundered 2 out, soon behind

21
Silk - Royal Blue, Red star, Royal Blue and Red chevrons on sleeves, Red cap
  • Form 5-11233
  • Age 6
  • Weight 10-5

always rear, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out

22
Silk - White, Dark Blue stripe, striped sleeves and cap
16/1
  • Form 4532-2
  • Age 8
  • Weight 10-5

always towards rear, ridden and struggling from 5th

23
Silk - RED, BLACK sash, RED and YELLOW hooped sleeves, YELLOW cap
  • Form P55-441
  • Age 8
  • Weight 10-3

mistake 1st, always rear, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out

24
Silk - Black, Gold Cross and stripe on cap
14/1
  • Form 2/62
  • Age 9
  • Weight 10-3

soon tracked leader, challenged from 2 out, led soon after last, stayed on well flat

2
NR
  • Form 212-RP0
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-8

Previous results

In depth

Verdict

An absolute cracker for the Imperial Cup and, as you would expect, it is very competitive but we'll take a chance on Never returning to form, although Scorned, Hot Shots, Desert Air and Gin Palace could well go well in this hot affair. The selection will be having his first run for Jonjo O'Neill today, having formerly been trained by Francois Doumen. He looked impressive when winning a Newbury handicap in November 2002 from a mark of 130 and, now back to a rating of 135, might be set to come good again. Looking at some of the others. The likeable Grand Finale looked progressive when scoring here last time, although this race, of course, is far more progressive. It would be no surprise to see Scorned, second to the useful novice Albuhera at Newbury last time, run well off a low weight. Similarly, Martin Pipe's lightly-raced Ilabon cannot be totally ignored, while Kadount and Breknen le Noir are fairly closely weighted based on Haydock form earlier in the season. Hot Shots won in very easy fashion at Wincanton during the week and looks set to go well again from the same mark. Shalako ran well for a long way in a Cheltenham Handicap over a longer trip on New Year's Day and first-time blinkers could yet show him in a better light. If Tony McCoy elects to ride Desert Air then this decent juvenile from last year has also to be afforded respect. Dancing Bay is now rated eight-pounds higher than for his Hexham win, which will not make life easy but Gin Palace, a good winner at Kempton last time, is from a stable that can do well in these big handicaps and, although now rated nine-pounds higher - less his rider's three-pound claim - than for that Sunbury success, he too can go well. Mary Reveley's Overstrand has had a good season and is still capable of going well from his revised mark. The novice Bold Bishop has done well this season but is there to be shot at from a mark of 135. That said, he'll attract supporters and, with Barry Geraghty booked, could yet go well. Sud Bleu represents Paul Nicholls but he rarely wins and is also possibly a little high in the ratings. Like a number of these, he finished in the ruck recently in Newbury's Tote Gold Trophy. Man O' Mystery actually ran well very well in that contest, but he's a little too enigmatic to be trusted with the hard-earned. Saintsaire is well-regarded by his astute handler but it would be an excellent performance for him to win this off top weight. As we say, it's a smashing race and our vote goes to Never.