Racecards
16:25 Sandown Park
Sunderlands Bookmakers Novices' Chase (Class 3)
- 4 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- Form 1-12152
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 147
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
keen hold early, settled 3rd, closed going well approaching 3 out, quickened and got through on inside on bend to lead before 2 out, soon in command, driven right out
Muhtenbar
37- Form PP-F333
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey Paul Moloney
tracked leader, made most from 3rd, pecked 8th, headed before 2 out, soon no impression
- Form 371-19F
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey B Fenton
not always fluent, led to 3rd, hit 5th, challeneging and upsides from 7th, every chance 3 out, 3rd and held when mistake next
- Form 321F46
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey K Mercer
mistakes, soon well outpaced and last, hit 2nd, mistake 7th, no chance from 4 out
In depth
Verdict
Hoo La Baloo has an obvious chance in this company and a clear round should be good enough to ensure success with Muhtenbar preferred to Priors Dale for the forecast spot. The selection lost no caste in defeat behind the useful Voy Por Ustedes at Wincanton on soft ground last time and a reproduction of that effort should suffice. Neptune Joly, a winner over fences in France, showed nothing on his debut at Sedgefield and is probably best watched. Priors Dale would have run Le Volfoni close but for falling at the last at Fontwell last time and a safer bet for the forecast may be Henrietta Knight's Muhtenbar who is going the right way. Hoo La Baloo has the best form on offer though and is hard to oppose.
Formwatch
Hoo La Baloo (FR) 6-5 (11-4) Led, joined 9th, ridden and headed next, kept on, held from 3 out, 2nd of 4, 2 1/2l behind Voy Por Ustedes (11-1) at Wincanton 2m nov chs Grd 2 (1) sft in Feb.
Muhtenbar 13-2 (10-6) Led, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, kept on same pace from last, 3rd of 5, 2 1/2l behind Cerium (11-2) at Wincanton 2m nov hcp chs (2) gd in Feb.
Priors Dale 8-1 (11-2) Made most, headed approaching 2 out, soon switched right, rallying and 1 length down when fell at the last in race won by Le Volfoni (11-3) at Plumpton 2m 1f nov chs (3) sft in Jan, 6 ran.
Neptune Joly (FR) 6-1 (11-2) Held up, headway 4th, ridden to chase leaders after 3 out, weakened next, 6th of 8, 44l behind Turbo (10-13) at Sedgefield 2m 1f nov hdl (4) hvy in Feb.