Racecards
15:30 Sandown Park
Gq 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Class D)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
Epicure (FR)
104- Form 0-1112P
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
led, headed approaching 2 out, gradually weakened
Gismo
544- Form 00/10-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss Jacqueline S Doyle
- Jockey T Doyle
whipped round start, well in rear, some headway after 6th, never dangerous
- Form 1-3
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey J Culloty
held up and behind, headway 6th, driven to lead approaching 2 out, soon headed, no extra approaching last
- Form 6
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer P Winkworth
- Jockey M Batchelor
raced keen tracking leader, ridden 4th, weakened after next
- Form 210/U
- Age 8
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
held up in 3rd, ridden 6th, soon behind, weakened 2 out
Lord Sam (IRE)
258- Form 11-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer V R A Dartnall
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
held up and behind, headway after 6th, led 2 out, clear approaching last, driven out flat
Smokestack (IRE)
273- Form 054-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J Old
- Jockey L P Aspell
held up and behind, kept on from 3 out, no chance with first two
In depth
Verdict
Inca Trail has a lot to live up to, being the well-publicised brother of Best Mate and was not hard pressed to open his account on his bumper debut for Eddie O'Grady in Ireland. His new connections were delighted with his run behind Rhinestone Cowboy in the Betfair Open Bumper at Cheltenham and are aiming him at the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle, after what they hope will be a couple of confidence-boosters along the way. This looks an ideal opportunity to start the ball rolling, with only Epicure and Lord Sam likely to mount any worthwhile opposition. Epicure's stamina will stand him in good stead, but the form that he has shown to date is nothing special, and a bigger danger, if that is the word, is the Victor Dartnell runner who won both his starts last term, including a well-contested affair at Newbury. Runners from that stable do tend to need their first outing of the season, and with both a fitness and class difference, Inca Trail is the TEAMtalk selection.