Racecards
17:00 Sandown Park
bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase (Class 2)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 110y
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £30,000 added
- Winner: £18,768
- 2nd: £5,544
- 3rd: £2,772
- 4th: £1,386
- Form 652110
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Mr H Derham
led, headed 3rd, stayed handy, not fluent 12th, ridden and pressing for 2nd 2 out, 3rd before last, stayed on but no impression on front pair
- Form 112223
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
prominent, led before 7th, headed 8th, led 11th until 12th, led after 14th, headed 3 out, soon weakened
- Form 19125P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer N J Gifford
- Jockey Tom Cannon
held up in rear, headway after 14th, went 2nd 2 out, driven to challenge from last, every chance until just held close home
- Form 67-2132
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
prominent, led 3rd until before 7th, led 8th, headed 11th, led 12th until 14th, weakened before 2 out
- Form 65-7132
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 123
mostly chased leaders, effort from 4 out and every chance 3 out, 4th and no extra approaching last
- Form 3-26711
- Age 8
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Harry Skelton
held up in touch, challenged 13th, led next, soon headed, led again 3 out, driven and pressed when moved head towards challenger flat, pulled out extra and in command close home
- Form 24U243
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
not always fluent in rear, mistake 10th, ridden 13th, in touch at back of group 3 out, outpaced and no impression before next
- Form 232-662
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
in touch on outside, mistake and lost place 14th, weakened after 3 out
In depth
Verdict
Sound Investment tries 2m4f for the first time over fences but his trainer also runs the less-exposed Vesperal Dream. Massena is better over fences but untried over this trip and takes a keen hold. Foundation Man has gone up 7lb since just beaten at Wetherby but has McCoy doing the steering so goes on the short-list along with Market Rasen runner-up Hatters River and the consistent Kitegen. BALLINCURRIG was all out to complete a double at Stratford earlier this month but appears to have got his act together now and may well be capable of finding the necessary to defy a further 6lb rise in the weights.
Formwatch
Sound Investment (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Held up in touch, lost place 7th, soon in rear, 13th of 16, 44l behind Parsnip Pete (10-10) at Aintree 2m hcp chs G3 (1) gd.
Massena (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Several slow jumps, led until 1st, chased leaders, pushed along after 9th, driven 4 out, no impression, went 3rd flat, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Kie (11-11) at Wincanton 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd.
Christopher Wren (USA) 40-1 (9-9) Always in rear, lost touch and pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Ballynagour (10-9) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar, 23 ran.
Foundation Man (IRE) 5-4fav (11-12) Led, ridden before 4 out, blundered last, kept on and headed close home, 2nd of 7, nk behind My Idea (10-8) at Wetherby 2m 6f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Mar.
Kitegen (IRE) 4-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, dropped to rear after 4th, in touch 6th, driven to chase leading pair before 4 out, soon ridden, stayed on to take moderate 2nd at last, no chance with easy winner, 2nd of 5, 13l behind Witness In Court (11-7) at Haydock 2m (3) gd.
Ballincurrig (IRE) 7-1 (10-13) Led briefly 2nd, soon steadied in touch, headway 10th, chased leaders 2 out, went 2nd approaching and hit last, rallied under pressure to lead final 100 yards, won at Stratford 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd beating Wings Of Smoke (11-8) by 1/2l, 9 ran.
De Blacksmith (IRE) 6-4fav (11-4) Led, ridden and headed before 2 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 5, 4l behind Suerte Al Salto (11-2) at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gs.
Vesperal Dream (FR) 7-1 (10-11) Mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, went 3rd after 3 out, 2nd approaching 2 out, ridden one pace and no impression run-in, 2nd of 13, 1 1/4l behind Garde La Victoire (11-12) at Taunton 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) gd.
Grandads Horse 7-1 (11-2) Sometimes jumped right, led, hit 5th and 10th, headed 4 out, weakened before next, tailed off, last of 8, well behind Pepite Rose (11-12) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs 0-150 (2) gs in Mar.
Hatters River (IRE) 5-2fav (11-9) Led, blundered 3rd, pressed from 3 out, blundered badly last, soon headed, no extra, 2nd of 7, 1 1/2l behind Highbury High (10-11) at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Mar.