17:17 Right I'm off on a fast drive to Kempton - if the traffic is OK I should be there for the first race.
17:15 A finale for the bookies with the spoils going to the 20/1 shot Gallego under Tom Queally from 11/1 shot Roodolph.
It was a good ride from Queally who kept the gelding covered up before launching a run three furlongs out. The horse responded to lead inside the final furlong.
The runner up led for the first three quarters of a mile before fading briefly and running on again at the end, but was unable to find anything with the winner.
Third placed Wiggy Smith could be considered an unfortunate loser, baulked two out and staying on inside the final furlong.
Our tip Palmerlin was sent off the 5/1 favourite but only finished fifth.
16:50 Just one race remaining and if you have done your money so far this afternoon I suggest giving up now as this final race is a real conundrum. A competitive handicap but for the wrong reasons and it is more a case of finding the least worse rather than best horse in the race. I am opting for Palmerin for no other reason than being trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Jamie Spencer.
16: 46 Time for the girls to take centre stage and I had to smile at a comment I overheard by the paddock.
This chap was obviously trying to show off to his female companion and in describing the finer points he said to her “ …. and in every race they give a prize for the best dressed horse.” I nearly choked on my water.
Anyway back to the race and even though the race was only over a mile the field were pretty well strung out as they crossed the line.
Two of the contenders Mekong Melody and Diamond Yas attempted to make all and it looked as though it was a tactic that would pay off as the pair were locked together.
Darryll Holland on the favourite Rhadegunda, was tracking the two leaders, but against the far rail with nowhere to go.
Luckily for Mr Holland a gap appeared and he got the run he required, passing the two leaders half a furlong out and recording a half length victory.
In the battle of the front runners Diamond Yas got the call by three parts of a length.
The ride on the favourite was a tricky one for Holland – as it happened the gap appeared and he was able to take advantage. Had it not appeared he would probably have been defeated and come in for a great deal of stick.
It is a very fine line between glory and ignominy.
16:20 In our next race a case could be made for several of these including Rhadegunda and Ainia. However at the likely prices I like the look of the top weight Trumpet Lily, who has improved with each run and still looks to have scope to improve further.
16:14 It’s a nice feeling when a race pans out as you predicted and this is one of those rare races.
I don’t know if The Queen was watching the race sitting in one of her castles, if she was then Her
Majesty would have been very pleased with the performance of her Four Winds, a comfortable two length winner under Jamie Spencer.
In second place was Ra Junior giving out tips a nice 1-2.
Cry For The Moon set the pace in the race and held the lead until halfway down the home straight, when he and the other front runner Persian Buddy both faded.
This left the royal runner with a comfortable lead and just inside the final furlong it seemed, for a brief moment, that Ra Junior was going to make a race of it, in the end the Brian Meehan colt was unable to make any impression.
The only fly in the ointment with regards form is the third horse, Red Junior a 50/1 shot who was a further two lengths behind his runner-up stable mate.
15:48 The next comntest is a tricky little maiden to decipher and it looks to be a two horse race between Four Winds and Ra Junior, both of whom finished fourth on debut. Four Winds was in the better race but Ra Junior had to overcome a poor draw. Certainly not a betting proposition but I see these two filling the first two places but in what order is debatable.
Ra Junior has been well backed this morning
15:36 A very interesting race where it looked as though Tom Queally had blown it on the favourite Wingwalker by getting boxed in against the rail with nowhere to go.
He eventually managed to extricate himself a furlong from home but it looked as though he had left himself too much to do as Rileyskeepingfaith and Touching were having battle for the lead several lengths in front.
At this time the front running Parthenon was beginning to tire.
Once in the clear Wingwalker ate up the ground between himself and the leaders and was an increasing length and a half in front as he crossed the line.
Rileyskeepingfaith and Touching were still locked together as they crossed the line with Felix Wheeler giving the verdict to the former by a nose.
I have to say we have seen a very good horse here this afternoon and the Henry Cecil trained colt must be a lively contender for the classics next season.
15:19 I have to say the favourite looks very nice in the parade ring, very relaxed and doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. I wouldn’t want to back him at his current price of 1/2 though and I have just had a small each way play on Parthenon.
15:04 This next contest looks like a penalty kick for Henry Cecil’s Wingwalker. An impressive winner on debut, despite being a touch green early on. This is clearly the best horse in the field. Parthenon caught the eye when winning at Leicester last week and could be the one to follow Wingwalker home.
14:58 Well I said it would be a hard race to crack and it turned out to be a cracking race with four runners crossing the line together.
Indeed throughout the race those in the front rank were closely grouped, with favourite Barbary Boy fighting things out with The Name Is Frank and Night Prospector – each having a go at the lead at some point.
Passing the furlong pole the field were tightly bunched and it was impossible to call the winner – the “in running” market must have been interesting.
Come the final battle Night Prospector was out of the fight but the two remaining early leaders had been joined by Meridian Line and Back In The Red and the four flashed past together.
Judge Felix Wheeler had a good look at the photo before calling Meridian Line the winner by a short head from Back In The Red, with the favourite back in third.
Than goodness we have 35 minutes between races – we need to get our breath back after that one.
14:31 This next race is a hard one to crack with all those favourably drawn high having question marks hanging over them.
Our Acquaintance, unfavourably drawn in stall 2, was an unlucky beaten favourite last time out and has the ability to take this weak contest.
14:24 An interesting opener where Jubilee Juggins was attempting to follow up his Goodwood victory on Sunday and was sent off favourite to do it.
Held up by Kirstry Milczarek he came with a late run but it wasn’t good enough and he only finished third behind Court Approval, who was nibbled at in the market.
However both were beaten by one of the outsiders Lesley’s Choice who came from a poor draw to take up the running early on along with Sonhador, who had the advantage of the far rail. Sonhador’s challenge only lasted to the halfway stage however, leaving the winner on his own out front.
It could be argued the favourite was done no favours by his riders tactics, getting boxed in and having to switch wide to get a run – however it is still questionable if he would have won granted a clear run.
13:24 Just under an hour to our first contest and only a smallish crowd at the moment but there is still plenty of time to go before the first.
The first race looks to have one of the best prospects of the day.
Jubilee Juggins was an impressive winner at Goodwood on Sunday and has a reasonable draw this afternoon and can carry off the six pound penalty. Court Approval was also a winner at the weekend but in a much weaker race and is more exposed.
12:44 Good afternoon from Sandown Park where the weather is overcast, this is the final flat meeting of the 2008 season - my how the time speeds by.
The going is Good , Good to Soft In Places on the straight course and Good on the round course.
We have only one non-runner so far.
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Non-Runners
4:05
6 Mohanad (Lame)
Results
2:20
1st 2 Lesley's Choice 12/1
2nd 1 Court Approval 7/1
3rd 6 Jubilee Juggins 15/8 fav
10 Ran
Distances 3/4L & 1/2L
Tote
Win £17.00
Place £4.30 £3.00 £1.60
Exacta £103.10
CSF £97.32
Tricast £233.36
Time 1' 02.02" (1.52" slow)
2:55
1st 10 Meridian Line 12/1
2nd 6 Back In The Red 4/1
3rd 3 Barbary Boy 15/8 fav
11 Ran
Distances Short Head & 1/2L
Tote
Win £14.80
Place £3.00 £1.60 £1.40
Exacta £70.20
CSF £58.04
Time 1' 01.86 (slow 1.36")
3:30
1st 3 Wingwalker 1/2 fav
2nd 2 Rileyskeepingfaith 8/1
7 Ran
Distances 1 1/2L
Tote
Win £1.60
Place £1.20 £2.70
Exacta £5.10
CSF £4.57
Time 1' 29.26" (slow 2.46")
4:05
1st 4 Four Winds 6/4 fav
2nd 9 Ra Junior 7/4
3rd 10 Red Junior 50/1
11 Ran NR 6
Distances 2L & 2L
Tote
Win £2.70
Place £1.10 £1.10 £9.70
Exacta £4.70
CSF £4.11
Time 1' 44.12"
4:40
1st 7 Rhadegunda 7/2 fav
2nd 5 Diamond Yas 8/1
3rd 2 Mekong Melody 10/1
11 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 3/4
Tote
Win £4.30
Place £1.90 £3.00 £4.10
Exacta £23.20
CSF £32.06
Tricast £259.00
Time 1' 43.36"
5:10
1st 10 Gallego 20/1
2nd 3 Roodolph 11/1
3rd 4 Wiggy Smith 8/1
12 Ran
Distances 3/4 & 3/4
Tote
Win £24.00
Place £5.70 £4.40 £2.60
Exacta £293.90
CSF £220.70
Tricast £1920.71
Time
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