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14:25 Sandown Park

bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1)

  • 7 Runners
  • Distance: 1m 1f 209y
  • Going: Good (Good to Firm in places)
  • Surface: Turf
  • £45,000 added
  • Winner: £25,520
  • 2nd: £9,675
  • 3rd: £4,842
  • 4th: £2,412
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 2m 13.56s
  • Off Time: 14:27:09
  • 7 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Waldkonig

6/4

    2
    Silk -

    Desert Encounter (IRE)

    40/1

      1(2)
      Silk - Yellow, dark blue sleeves, yellow stars, yellow cap, dark blue star

      Desert Encounter (IRE)

      154 h D
      40/1
      • Form 232250-
      • Age 9
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 115

      steadied start, held up in rear, gained a place 6f out, headway between horses over 2f out, soon hung right, went 2nd inside final furlong, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner

      2(1)
      Silk - Dark green, white stars on sleeves

      Extra Elusive

      62 D
      16/1
      • Form 21136-0
      • Age 6
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 113

      edgy and wore hood to post, pressed leader, led after 1f and dictated steady pace, pushed along and headed 2f out, ridden and unable to quicken when hung right over 1f out, lost 2nd inside final furlong, plugged on in 3rd

      3(5)
      Silk - Dark Blue, Light Blue cross belts, striped sleeves, White cap

      Highest Ground (IRE)

      195 BFD
      5/2
      • Form 1/120-
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 111

      held up in last pair, closer on inside tracking leaders 8f out, edged right and went 3rd over 2f out, soon ridden and weakened over 1f out

      4(6)
      Silk - Royal Blue, White epaulets, striped cap

      Hukum (IRE)

      223
      7/2
      • Form 31/115-
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 114

      tracked leaders until steadied into 5th 8f out, steady headway out wide 3f out, chased leaders soon after, 4th and no impression final furlong

      5(4)
      Silk - Light blue, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap

      Thunderous (IRE)

      288 D
      7/1
      • Form 111/21-
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 112

      tracked leading pair, pushed along 3f out, pushed along and lost 3rd over 2f out, wandered and weakened entering final 2f

      6(3)
      Silk - Red, Emerald Green chevron, Emerald Green cap

      Waldkonig

      17 D
      6/4
      • Form 1/32-1
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 109

      led 1f, tracked leader, led again 2f out, shaken up and stayed on well inside final furlong

      7(7)
      Silk - White, Royal Blue cross belts, Royal Blue and White striped sleeves

      Winter Reprise (FR)

      149 D
      80/1
      • Form 832162-
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-0
      • Official Rating 98

      held up in last trio until dropped to last 6f out, pushed along and struggling to quicken 3f out, some late minor headway, never going pace to get involved

      In depth

      Verdict

      Sir Michael Stoute has won the last three renewals though Highest Ground was beaten a neck by Thunderous in last year’s rescheduled Dante at York. The latter hasn’t raced since while Hukum has his first outing since finishing fifth in the St Leger having won a Group 3 at Newbury before that and drops down in trip along with the veteran Desert Encounter. Extra Elusive has improved since placing in this in 2019 though was well beaten in the Saudi Cup in February and WALDKONIG (NAP) may prove the one to side with. He cruised to victory in a handicap at Pontefract on his reappearance and the half-brother to the top-class Waldgeist can take this step up in class in his stride. Winter Reprise looks out of his depth in this company.

      Formwatch

      Desert Encounter (IRE) (9-1) 12th of 14, 7 3/4l behind Simsir (9-1) at Sakhir 1m 2f gd in Nov.

      Extra Elusive 28-1 (9-0) 13th of 14, 29 1/2l behind Mishriff (9-0) at Riyadh 1m 1f gd in Feb.

      Highest Ground (IRE) 5-2fav (8-13) Slowly away, soon pushed along, weakened inside final furlong, 10th of 12, 11 1/4l behind Lady Wannabe (9-0) at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) sft in Oct.

      Hukum (IRE) 7-2 (9-1) Close up, headway to lead 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 5th of 11, 4 1/4l behind Galileo Chrome (9-1) at Doncaster 1m 7f Grp 1 stks (1) gd in Sep.

      Thunderous (IRE) 13-2 (9-0) Always handy, ridden over 3f out, stayed on well inside final furlong, led close home, won at York 1m 2f Grp 2 stks (1) gs in Jul beating Highest Ground (9-0) by nk, 6 ran.

      Waldkonig 5-4fav (9-7) Held up in touch, headway on outside over 2f out, led over 1f out, ridden out final furlong, always in command, won at Pontefract 1m 2f hcp (2) gf in Apr beating Kaleidoscopic (8-6) by 3 1/4l, 5 ran.

      Winter Reprise (FR) (8-11) 2nd of 14, shd behind Sky Power (8-11) at Deauville 1m 1f lst stks pol in Nov.