Racecards
16:45 Sandown Park
Noel Fehily Cheltenham Previews At 188Bet Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f 173y
- Going: Soft (Heavy in places, back straight G/Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £8,416 added
- Winner: £4,549
- 2nd: £1,336
- 3rd: £668
- 4th: £350
- Form 2-4F35
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 120
chased leader until 3rd, chased leaders, not fluent next, weakened on long run after 3 out
- Form 127P82
- Age 5
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
chased leaders, 2nd 3rd until pushed along before 2 out, left in 3rd and slightly hampered 2 out, plugged on same pace
- Form 32/126-4
- Age 9
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey P J Brennan
chased leaders on inside, awkward 2nd, slightly hampered on bend after 3 out, outpaced when slightly hampered again approaching 2 out, weakened between last 2
- Form 1-322
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey Paul O'Brien
led and wandered in front, jinked left before 2 out, joined when fell 2 out
- Form 412373
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey Harry Bannister
held up tracking leaders, headway chasing leaders 6th, 2nd going well before 2 out, challenging when left in lead 2 out, soon ridden, 3 lengths clear last, headed and no extra last strides
- Form 026P
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
in rear, not fluent 3rd, lost touch 6th, headway on outside under pressure before 2 out, 4th and well held when hit last, weakened run-in
- Form 2-63566
- Age 6
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey Daniel Sansom
held up towards rear, headway chasing leaders 6th, plugged on in 4th run-in
- Form 1/F4F5-P
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer N P Mulholland
- Jockey N D Fehily
always towards rear, never on terms
- Form 74-3F38
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer R Rowe
- Jockey A Glassonbury
held up in last pair, good headway on outside chasing leaders 5th, left in 2nd 2 out, ridden and 3 lengths down last, stayed on under pressure run-in, led final strides
- Form 231/4-2
- Age 7
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer S Drinkwater
- Jockey R T Dunne
NonRunner
- Form P2-8556
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 110
NonRunner
In depth
Verdict
Three Star General won over a similar trip at Worcester last year and returned to form over 3m at Ascot recently when only finding one too good. Handicap debutant Jet Set has yet to finish out of the frame under Rules and has to go on the short-list. Irish import Lex Talionis wasn’t beaten far at Southwell last month but Coeur Pensif has been a bit hit-and-miss so far. We’ll take a chance on LIP SERVICE, who has had a wind operation since making a decent start for Fergal O’Brien at Cheltenham in the autumn. He has few miles on the clock for his age and had decent form when trained in Ireland by Tony Martin.
Formwatch
Coeur Pensif (FR) 13-2 (11-4) Led, mistakes throughout, 15 lengths clear 6th, headed 3 out, soon weakened, 5th of 6, 30 3/4l behind Tommy Rapper (11-10) at Towcester 2m 5f (4) sft in Feb.
Three Star General 33-1 (11-2) Towards rear, headway from 3 out, chased leaders before next, stayed on into 2nd run-in and closed on winner, just held, 2nd of 12, nk behind Ballyheigue Bay (11-6) at Ascot 3m hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Lip Service (IRE) 10-1 (11-6) Slowly away, behind, headway after 3 out, ridden to chase clear leaders after 2 out, kept on same pace, took 4th near finish, not trouble leaders, 4th of 19, 14 3/4l behind Melrose Boy (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Jet Set (IRE) 14-1 (10-13) Prominent, every chance 2 out, no impression on winner flat but well clear of rest, 2nd of 15, 8l behind Indian Hawk (11-6) at Ludlow 2m 5f mdn (4) sft in Jan.
Lex Talionis (IRE) 9-1 (11-11) Held up in rear, steady headway tracking leaders when blundered 3 out, 3rd next, kept on run-in, never nearer, 3rd of 9, 3 1/4l behind Supakalanistic (12-0) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Feb.
Vango De Vaige (FR) 14-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders on inside, took keen hold, lost place after 3rd, weakened 5th, pulled up after next, at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (4) hvy in Feb.
Fenlons Court (IRE) 14-1 (10-11) Mid-division, headway before 7th, driven in 5th after 3 out, soon weakened, tailed off, 6th of 14, dist behind Savoy Court (11-5) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp (3) hvy in Jan.
Admiral Kid (IRE) 16-1 (11-11) Held up in mid-division, ridden and weakened before not fluent 3 out, pulled up before 2 out, at Warwick 2m hcp (4) sft in Jan.
Tzar De L'Elfe (FR) 8-1 (10-11) Chased leaders, weakened before 3 out, 8th of 14, 16 1/2l behind Quiz Master (11-1) at Fontwell 2m 6f hcp (4) gs in Feb.
Sergeant Brody 6-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, outpaced 5 out, rallied 2 out, stayed on well to take modest 2nd after last, no chance with easy winner, 2nd of 6, 20l behind Tommy Rapper (11-10) at Towcester 2m 5f (4) sft in Feb.
Cheer's Delboy (IRE) 10-1 (11-8) Raced wide held up, pushed along and outpaced 3 out, rallied approaching last, 6th of 12, 15 1/2l behind Cap Du Nord (10-9) at Sandown 2m hcp (4) gs in Dec.