Racecards
16:20 Sandown Park
Sunderlands Handicap Chase (Class D)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places
- Form 132U41
- Age 9
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer C J Mann
- Jockey N D Fehily
hampered start, always in rear, weakened quickly on long run to 2 out, tailed off and pulled up before last
- Form 002524
- Age 8
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
mostly chased leadser, mistake 7th, not fluent next, challenged 2 out, led last, driven and held on well flat
- Form 000041
- Age 9
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D R Dennis
slowly away, held up in rear, mistake 2nd, fell 5th
- Form 332302
- Age 9
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey A P McCoy
led, ridden and narrow advantage on long run after 3 out, joined 2 out, ridden and headed last, one pace and held flat
- Form 25456U
- Age 10
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey L P Aspell
chased leaders, pushed along on long run to 2 out, stayed on to take 3rd at last, no impression on leading pair
- Form 3F3112
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
slowly away and held up in rear, headway to chase leaders approaching 2 out, soon hung right and no impression when blundered last
Harvis (FR)
14- Form 5P3630
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
chased leaders, went 2nd 8th, weakened under pressure approaching 2 out
In depth
Verdict
A competitive little heat to round things off on Imperial Cup day with Nick The Jewel getting our vote ahead of Great Travel and Executive Decision. Running through the field. Flinders Chase has been raised five pounds for beating Tanikos, who has been since beaten at Newbury. Reiziger remains consistent at around his current mark but usually finds one or two too good for him at the moment. Sharpaten has bits of chasing form but seems better over hurdles, and he comes here on the back of a hurdles win at Leicester last time. Tony McCoy is an interesting booking for Mick Easterby's Super Nomad, who remains consistent without quite being able to win from his current mark. Nick The Jewel is rated five-pounds higher than for his most recent success, but, quite lightly-raced, he can go well in this race. Executive Decision is back on a winning mark now and, have finished third in this race from a nine-pound higher mark last year, has to be respected. Wuxi Venture maybe lacks a little of the others overall experience over fences while Great Travel, one of only two course and distance winners in the line-up, disappointed slightly at Huntingdon last time, having looked good when winning over today's course and distance the time before. That said, he is racing from just a pound higher mark than for that Sandown success so is high on the shortlist of possible winners of this race for us. The other c/d winner is Harvis, who ran well when third, beaten seven lengths, behind Great Travel in February. He is now eight pounds better off, while Wuxi Venture, a further length behind, is seven pounds better off with Great Travel, and Executive Decision, a further two lengths behind, is nine pounds better off. The form book tells us that it should be close between them today. Having weighed everything up, though, we'll just side with Nick The Jewel.