Racecards
16:30 Sandown Park
Mick Mccafferty 50th Birthday Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class D )
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 110y
- Going: Good to Soft (Good places) (Chase - Good, Good/Soft places)
- Form 022
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
prominent, chased leader after 3 out, led narrowly last, driven and held on under pressure run-in
Geton (IRE)
64- Form 410
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
never going well in rear, mistake 4th and next, soon tailed off
- Form 60-343
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer P R Chamings
- Jockey A Thornton
held up and always in rear
- Form 35-1406
- Age 8
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
chasing leaders when blundered and fell heavily 6th
- Form P0-P0
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer R Rowe
- Jockey L P Aspell
held up in rear, outpaced 3 out
- Form 560-00
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up in rear division, steady headway before 2 out, upsides last, strong challenge run-in, just held
- Form 05-3223
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey C Honour
in touch, badly hampered 6th, no chance after
- Form 60-30
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer J A B Old
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
raced in mid-division, outpaced 3 out, tailed off
- Form 011101
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer A W Carroll
- Jockey N D Fehily
held up, steady headway approaching 2 out, upsides when hit last, not quicken run-in
- Form 665-54
- Age 8
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey J Culloty
in touch until ridden and outpaced form 3 out
See Me There
31- Form 04-6U54
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey A O'Keefe
held up in mid-division, effort to chase leading pair after 3 out, weakened before last
- Form 6-430
- Age 6
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey P Flynn
chased leader, ridden before 3 out, soon weakened
- Form 3P4420
- Age 6
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey P Hide
started slowly, soon in mid-division, outpaced 3 out, no chance when blundered 2 out
- Form P6012
- Age 4
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 97
raced freely, led, hard ridden 2 out, headed and stumbled badly last, unseated rider soon after
- Form 402333
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer R M Stronge
- Jockey R Johnson
held up towards rear, stayed on approaching 2 out, ridden and weakened before last
In depth
Verdict
Cool Monty reverts to hurdling on a potentially lenient mark but may not have the pace to cope with Pretty Star who is preferred to Kjetil. The last mentioned has been a disappointment for trainer Paul Nicholls this term but it is interesting that he perseveres with the five-year-old who has been given a two-month break and may be best caught fresh. Martin Pipe's Geton has been given a break since running below expectations on his handicap debut here in December and may be better than he showed that day. He is preferred to stablemate Nick The Silver, who steps up in class. Kim Bailey's Front Rank has been in consistent form this term and is entitled to be thereabouts again, while Aldiruos is progressive but has another rise in the weights to overcome and he may find this harder than the races he has been contesting of late. Coustou, at the bottom end of the handicap, is another worthy of a mention but the vote goes to Pretty Star who looks to be potentially well treated for his handicap debut and should appreciate this longer trip.