Friday 21:18

The advance report is:-

Going

Chase - Good to Soft,Soft in Places, Good in Back Straight
Hurdle - Soft, Good to Soft in Back Straight
(GoingStick: Chase 6.8 Hurdle 5.9 on Friday at 15:00)

Staying dry.

09:23 It has been a dry night and the rather eclectic going is

Hurdles course - soft (back straight good to soft)
Chase course - good to soft, soft in places (back straight good)

Our selections are:-

11:42 Good morning from Sandown where, although overcast, the weather is pleasant.

We have just the one non-runner, the same as in your morning papers.

12:30 We have a second non-runner, with Lorient Express out of the last, running in his 1st preference race at Doncaster.

12:47 Our opening contest is the Toteplacepot Contenders Hurdle a two mile Listed contest over two miles.

Only three line up to face the starter and all eyes will be on Binocular who is on something of a retrieval mission, having finished a disappointing third in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

He will need to win this convincingly this afternoon if he is to enhance his Cheltenham credentials.

13:13 The three runners in the opener are in the pre-parade ring. Binocular is a very narrow horse but he looks reasonably OK, although none of the three look to be that exceptional.

13:43 Not a lot to say - a facile win for Binocular and don’t be fooled by the one length winning margin, he came home without even breaking sweat.

As is his wont Marodima set off in front, soon having a 12 length lead, with Dee Ee Williams and Binocular happy to go at their own pace.

A slight flutter for Binocular supporters half way down the back straight when he dropped five lengths behind Dee Ee Williams.

By the home turn the field was bunched up and approaching two out Dee Ee Williams was slightly ahead with Binocular jumping upsides.

14:10 Next up is the extended 2m toteswinger Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle with eight going to post and a couple of rouges in the parade ring.

None more so than Dannios and Kings Troop, the latter getting very warm in the parade ring.

14:18 According was strongly fancied on his UK debut being sent off 11/10 and half way down the back straight those holding Cheltenham vouchers were asking how far he would win by.

However by the time they turned to home the expectations were diminishing fast as the almost white runner went into reverse.

No such problems for the only filly in the field, Diktalina, who had been settled behind the leasers before running on in the home straight and from the second last never looked in any danger of being headed – eventually coming home eight clear.

14:32 We’ve had Binocular do what he should have done and According not doing what he should. Next we have Nicky Henderson’s third star as Punchestowns tops the bill in the extended 2½ mile toteswinger Challengers’ Novices’ Chase.

14:49 Well Punchestowns duly delivered but not without giving his supporters a big fright at the seventh fence.

Not taking off high enough he brushed through the top of the fence and almost completely buckled on landing arguably being lucky to remain on his feet.

This allowed the front running Tchico Polos to increase his lead as Punchestowns lost all momentum.

Barry Geraghty gave Punchestowns time to regain his composure allowing him to pop over the next couple of fences and regain his confidence.

He slowly ate into Tchico Polos’s lead and as they came out of the home turn was upsides.

15:26 A very interesting and open handicap hurdle.

It is absolutely no surprise to record Lough Derg set out to make all, although Strawberry did harry him in the early stages.

Indeed turning for home Lough Derg still had a decent lead and although looking as though he was beginning to tire, nothing was running on behind.

However coming to two out the complexion of the contest did change as Beshabar, who had been settled mid-division, ran on to take up the running with last years winner Chief Yeoman and Racing Demon also passing Lough Derg.

However nothing was running better than Beshabar and approaching the last his only threat was the upcoming hurdle, which he cleared with ease.

Erzen, who had run in snatches, rallied again in the final stages to take second spot with last years winner putting in another good show to finish third.

Racing Demon came home fourth.

The favourite Merrydown made a horlicks of the first and was never better than mid-division.

15:40 Our longest contest of the afternoon next with the extended three mile totesport Masters Handicap in which thirteen line up.

16:00 A cracking finish to the three mile chase as thirteen-year-old Monkerhostin rolled back the years to just get his nose in front of Exmoor Ranger on the line, destroying the hopes of a single Scoop6 ticket holder in the process.

Lorum Leader was the hare for the runners, holding onto the lead until approaching two out when Exmoor Ranger was produced by Tom O’Brien to hit the front and it looked to be a decisive run.

However in the final half mile Monkerhostin had made steady progress and as they came up the hill he defied he age to eat into Exmoor Ranger’s lead to hit the front in the final strides.

16:15 It seems odd having a six race card and this afternoon has flow by.

Our final contest is the two mile toteexacta Handicap Chase over two miles with seven runners.  

16:34 Another cracking finish for our final contest where the Sandown hill, not for the first time, had a say in the outcome.

Fred’s Benefit set out to make all but as has happened all too frequently this afternoon the cavalry came on the home turn.

Indeed as they turned for home the only one of the seven who could not win was Zacharova, who was well tailed off.

Consigliere hit the front after putting in a good jump at the Pond Fence, three from home.

Two out Lordbridge was out of the race when looking to mount a challenge and approaching the last Consigliere had a good lead.

Consigliere still had what looked like a winning lead coming up the hill but Timmy Murphy got to work on Russian Flag, eating into Consigliere’s lead, eventually hitting the front near the line to record a 1½ length victory.

16:37 Well that’s it from Sandown some decent quality racing with Binocular winning his facile contest, According being most disappointing and Punchestowns winning well despite his blunder.

The crowd was somewhat disappointing considering the quality of racing on offer, however the rugby international just down the road at Twickenham may have put some off.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

Non-runners

15:10
14 Magic Sky (not eaten up - SC 1836 Fri)

16:15
4 Lorient Express (running in 1st preference race - 12:08)

Results

13:30 Listed Hurdle 2m 110yds

1st 1 Binocular 1/7 fav
2nd 2 Dee Ee Williams 8/1
3 Ran
Distance 1
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.10
Exacta £1.50
CSF £1.69
Time 3' 59.1"

14:05 Novices' Hurdle 2m 110yds

1st 8 Diktalina 16/1
2nd 1 Anak 11/2
3rd 2 Prince Pippin 16/1
8 Ran
Distances 8 & 1¾
Fav 3 According 11/10 (last)
Tote
Win £18.30
Places £3.00 £1.30 £2.90
Exacta £48.90
CSF £97.61
Time 4' 12.1"

14:35 Novices' Chase 2m 4f 110yds

1st 4 Punchestowns 4/11 fav
2nd 5 Tchico Polos 3/1
5 Ran
Distances 8
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.50
Places £1.10 £1.40
Exacta £2.10
CSF £1.75
Time 5' 17.4"

15:10 Handicap Hurdle 2m 6f

1st 13 Beshabar 10/1
2nd 8 Erzen 6/1
3rd 10 Chief Yeoman 25/1
13 Ran Nr 14
Distances 8 & 1
Fav 6 Merrydown 11/2
Tote
Win £11.10
Places £2.90 £1.70 £8.30
Exacta £82.00
CSF £69.96
Tricast £1,478.92
Time 5' 24.6"

15:40 Handicap Chase 3m 110yds

1st 2 Monkerhostin 20/1
2nd 6 Exmoor Ranger 8/1
3rd 8 Massasoit 10/1
13 Ran
Distances nose & ½
Fav 4 Razor Royale 9/2
Tote
Win £27.40
Places £6.50 £3.10 £3.30
Exacta £274.60
CSF £164.93
Tricast £1,713.32
Time 6' 30.4"

16:15 Handicap Chase 2m

1st 7 Russian Flag 7/2
2nd 2 Consigliere 7/2
7 Ran  Nr 4
Distances 1½
Fav 3 Song Of Songs 3/1 (4th)
Tote
Win £4.40
Places £2.20 £2.70
Exacta £15.20
CSF £16.30
Tricast £59.40
Time 4' 09.3"