Racecards
15:25 Sandown Park
Totescoop6 Sandown Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (Class A )
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Form 226-042
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 141
prominent, led 6th until after 3 out, weakened next
- Form 325/111-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 135
held up in rear, ridden 4th, well behind 3 out, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form F-1115B
- Age 8
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey L P Aspell
held up towards rear, headway after 3 out, close up but ridden, went badly right 2 out, no danger after
- Form 41-P153
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Antony Evans
chased leading trio, effort to lead after 3 out, headed before 2 out, weakened quickly
- Form 45-1U11
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up in rear, headway approaching 2 out, beaten and went right last
- Form 13212-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
led chasing group approaching 2 out, narrowly headed last, led briefly soon after, pressed winner flat, always just held
- Form 34-3F22
- Age 6
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer J A B Old
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
held up in rear, ridden before 3 out, headway under pressure before 2 out, one pace before last
- Form 3/62114-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey A O'keeffe
not fluent, set fast pace, headed 6th, weakened quickly, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 3/1-10
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 127
prominent in chasing group, effort under pressure after 3 out, beaten when mistake 2 out
- Form 1111/3-0
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey G Lee
held up in mid-division, effort under pressure after 3 out, stayed on same pace from next
- Form D3-4262
- Age 8
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer Miss V Scott
- Jockey Jim Crowley
towards rewar, driven 6th, well behind 3 out, tailed off
- Form 1323-31
- Age 6
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey P Flynn
held up in rear, smooth headway approaching 2 out, went right, blundered but led last, briefly headed flat, kept on under pressure
- Form 21151
- Age 9
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 124
mostly tracked leader, pressed leaders 2 out, one pace and held before last
- Form 1422P6
- Age 5
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer R J Hodges
- Jockey R Thornton
towards rear, pushed along and struggling 3 out, no chacne after
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Liberman has been well backed ever since the sponsors opened their book on the race at the start of the week and is taken to justify that support at the main expense of Supreme Serenade and Fountain Hill. The selection has had a chequered career since winning the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in 2003 but has been freshened up by a spell back in Ireland and seems to have regained some of his old zest. Potentially well treated, Liberman is taken to defy an 18lb rise for his latest success at Market Rasen in November. Pipe is also responsible for Samon, who reverts to hurdles after a spell chasing last term, and the unexposed Team Tassel, although neither has as solid a chance as the selection. The Paul Nicholls-trained Fountain Hill makes a belated return to action but is feasibly well treated on novice hurdle form and has to be respected. The handicapper looks to finally have the measure of The Dark Lord and of more interest is recent course and distance winner Supreme Serenade, although a 12lb rise for that success leaves the Philip Hobbs-trained gelding with more to do. Attorney General from the in-from yard of Jim Old and Simon Dow's Gallery God are others worthy of a mention but Liberman has an obvious chance on this season's form and is taken to provide trainer Martin Pipe with another big race success on a Saturday.