08:53 Sandown can rarely do "simple" going reports, today's is:-

Chase - Good to Soft, Soft in places, Back Straight Good in places
Hurdle -Soft, Back Straight Good to Soft in places

There are, currently, no  non-runners

11:37 Good morning from a sunny Sandown Park, there is a brisk breeze, head-on, relative to the home straight.

12:16 Our first non-runner of the afternoon 13:35 6 Royal Reverie, lame

12:32 We have a minor going change. It is now soft, good to soft in the back straight on the hurdles course.

12:47 The runners are in the parade ring for our opening contest, the 32red.com Mares' Hurdle, a Listed contest over 2½ miles, with just six off to post.

A nice looking bunch for our opener, although Love Of Tara was a little bit on her toes, physically she looked nice, as did Kaffie.

13:12 A small field and a tactical ride from Barry Geraghty on Kells Bells as we have another weekend winner for the Nicky Henderson team.

Animation set the steady pace, accompanied by the favourite Kaffie, with Love And Tara and Kells Bells in second rank and Misstree Dancer and The Strawberry One in third rank.

Coming down the back straight for the final time Jason Maguire on Kaffie decided to inject some pace and was the first to set off for home. Opening up an eight length lead turning for home Geraghty did not panic on Kells Bells as he eased into second spot.

Turning for home Kaffie still had a good advantage but Kells Bells was soon eating into his advantage.

By the last Kells Bells was on Kaffie's quarters and there was an inevitability as Kells Bells jumped into the lead at the last.

Maguire tried to respond on the run-in but to no avail with Kells Bells coming home a reasonably comfortable 1¾ length winner.

It was 13 lengths back to third placed Love Of Tara, who never looked to be a serious threat, with Mistree Dancer fourth.

There was a good battle to avoid the wooden spoon with Animation just heading The Strawberry One in a good battle to the line.  

13:35 Race two is the 32Red Poker Juvenile Hurdle with six setting off for the extended 2m contest.

Educated Son is wearing earplugs, Colebrook looked edgy and nervous

13:46 Another race which proved the old adage you don't need big fields for exciting finishes.

Colebrook, Soliwery and Fire Figher were almost line abreast clearing the final flight and the battle continued on the uphill run-in.

Colebrooke and Soliwery were still locked together as they crossed the line and it had to go to the judge with Colebrook getting the verdict by a short head.

There was a coming together in the closing stages and the stewards are having a look but it would be a major shock were the result to be reversed.

Fire Fighter was a further half length back in third, with big distances back to the other runners. The whipper-in being Lakota Ghost, who had set the early pace along with Rasam Aldaar (4th)

Educated Son was most disappointing, never in the contest and confirming the belief the form of his win at Wincanton was questionable.  

13:57 Race three is our first chase with nine off to post for the two mile 32Red Handicap Chase.

No real clues from the parade ring with Pret A Though the marginal pick.

14:15 A decisive win there for Hold Fast with one press room wag saying he has now been away from Howard Johnson to realise his potential.

Settled behind the leaders Walsh bought him into a challenging position approaching the railway fences before leading approaching the Pond Fence, initially it was a narrow lead over Tanks For That and Rileyev but by the final fence it was all over bar the jumping and he came home an easy and eased seven length winner.

Tanks For That looked booked for the runners-up spot, that was until All For Free became the latest runner to sprout wings on the stiff uphill Sandown finish, edging into second spot in the final strides.

Nomecheki finished fourth.

Rileyev was initially held up but made progress to be in a challenging position as they turned for home but he seemed to lose interest after a mistake at the second last, although he was already getting reminders coming into the fence, coming home a  well beaten fifth. 

14:25 Next up is our feature contest the 32Red Hurdle, better known to purists as The Tolworth Hurdle. A small, but select, field of five go to post for the extended two mile contest.

14:48 A bold call from judge David Hicks as he calls a very close finish to the Tolworth as Captain Conan beats the joint- favourite Colour Squadron by a short head.

It was an odd race in which it took the runners some 13 seconds to pass the starting line after the tapes had been released, mainly because nothing wanted to set the pace.

In the end it was Colour Squadron who set off in front, albeit at a pedestrian pace.

Behind they were in Indian file with Captain Conan, Magnifique Etoile, Prospect Wells and High Storm following.

The pace finally picked up as they approached the Railway Fences with Captain Conran emerging as the challenger to the long time leader.

Approaching two out High Storm, who never looked happy and was by then tailed off, pulled up.

Coming to the last Captain Conan was upsides Colour Squadron. Captain Conan pulled clear on the run in and Colour Squadron battled on but was defeated by greeness as he drifted to the right on the expansive run-in, drifting sufficiently to lose the race.

Magnifique Etoile was third, thirteen length further back.

The other joint-favourite, Prospect Wells, was most disappointing and was last to finish.      

15:01 Race five is the 32REd.com HBLB Handicap Chase an extended three mile contest with 10 due to face the starter.

15:22 Another case of a horse rolling back the years as Neptune Collonges powered up the run-in to finish second, having looked to be in trouble half-way.

However he was not able to mount any challenge on the winner, Hold On Julio, who obliged for favourite backers. Settled towards the rear in the early stage he made some progress to be behind the leaders approaching the Railway Fences the final time.

As they swung off the home turn he was upsides the long time leader Qhilimar and by the last he was clear and not going to be challenged.

Qhilimar looked set for the runners-up spot before Neptune launched his late run, taking second spot by 1¾ lengths.

Any Currency was with the pace early doors before dropping out of contention and then rallying to finish fourth.   

15:37 Our final contest is the 32Red Handicap Hurdle which sees our biggest field of the afternoon, 15 runners, line up for the extended two mile contest.

Havingotascoobydo is reverting to hurdles after his early fall over fences at Cheltenham last Sunday and looked best in the parade ring.

15:59 Another great finish and an astonishing run from Havingotascoobydo. Settled in rear he seemed to have lost some of his confidence after last weeks fall and he made one or two mistakes in the early stages.

However his rider Alain Crawley bought him from almost last to lead as they swung for home and he had a good lead coming to the last.

The challenge came from Venetia Williams' Ciceron who came upsides at the last and forged clear on the run-in to record a 1¼ length victory.

Cotilion was a further 3¾ lengths back in third.

16:07 The fields may have been small but we had a good, entertaining, afternoons racing nonetheless and a reasonable crowd to boot.

From Esher a very good afternoon.

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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

13:35
6 Royal Reverie (lame - VC 12:06)

Results 

13:00 Listed Hurdle 2m 4f

13:35 Juvenile Hurdle 2m 110yds

14:05 Handicap Chase 2m

14:35 Tolworth Hurdle 2m 110yds

15:10 Handicap Chase 3m

15:45 Handicap Hurdle 2m 110yds