Racecards
13:15 Sandown Park
bet365 Handicap (Class 2)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 5f 6y
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- £20,000 added
- Winner: £12,450
- 2nd: £3,728
- 3rd: £1,864
- 4th: £932
- Form 47260-D
- Age 3
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer Tom Dascombe
- Jockey R Kingscote
smartly away, led on rail, ridden and narrowly headed inside final furlong, rallied towards finish, always just held
- Form 21118-0
- Age 3
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer B J Meehan
- Jockey R L Moore
taken down early, sweating, dwelt and pushed left after start, held up, headway halfway, switched right to rail entering final 2f, switched left and chased leader over 1f out, led narrowly inside final furlong, driven out
- Form 11-
- Age 3
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer C & M Johnston
- Jockey P Hanagan
went left start, last trio on outside, ridden and no response halfway, soon beaten
- Form 17089-7
- Age 3
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey D Holland
soon outpaced and pushed along in rear, switched right and stayed on inside final furlong, went moderate 3rd towards finish, never any chance with leading duo
- Form 411399-
- Age 3
- Weight 8-7
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer B R Millman
- Jockey Andrea Atzeni
chased leaders, ridden 2f out, weakened soon after
- Form 1324-41
- Age 3
- Weight 8-2
- Official Rating 76
- Trainer J Hughes
- Jockey S De Sousa
slowly into stride, soon recovered to chase leader, ridden 2f out, lost 2nd over 1f out, no chance with leading duo final furlong, dropped to 4th towards finish
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
The unbeaten Rafeej makes his reappearance and will be a warm order given he won a handicap on heavy ground at Ffos Las in November and has plenty of scope. However, BALLESTEROS also scored in testing ground at Haydock to land a hat-trick in the autumn and a recent pipe-opener at Newmarket should have brought him on. Ryan Moore partnered him in one of last year's victories and is back on board today. Bear Behind dead-heated at Musselburgh on his reappearance but he's been nowhere near ground this testing previously though it was soft going when Mister Musicmaster scored over C&D in July and he makes more appeal than both Church Music and recent Southwell winner Wicked Wench.
Formwatch
Bear Behind (IRE) 7-2fav (8-2) Made all, driven and hung right inside final 2f, ridden over 1f out, hard pressed inside final furlong, continued to hang right final 100 yards, just held on (finished 1st, disqualified and placed 2nd), in a race won by Hamish McGonagall (9-7) at Musselburgh 5f cond Stakes (2) gs, 7 ran.
Ballesteros 10-1 (9-0) Always in rear, 12th of 16, 10l behind Es Que Love (8-12) at Newmarket 6f 3yo hcp 0-100 (2) gd.
Rafeej 9-4fav (8-11) In touch, headway to lead over 1f out, hung right approaching final furlong, ridden clear, won at Ffos Las 5f 2yo hcp 0-85 (4) hvy in Nov beating Ashpan Sam (8-9) by 4 1/2l, 7 ran.
Church Music (IRE) 40-1 (9-7) Pulled hard tracking leader, weakened over 2f out, 7th of 11, 7l behind Shamaal Nibras (9-0) at Kempton 7f 3yo hcp 0-95 (3) pol.
Mister Musicmaster 12-1 (9-7) Chased leader 2f, soon behind, 9th of 10, 18l behind Ortac Rock (8-13) at Newbury 6f 2yo hcp 0-95 (3) gd in Sep.
Wicked Wench 9-1 (8-9) Slow into stride, tracked leaders after 1f, ridden halfway, led 1f out, ran on, won at Southwell 5f hcp 0-85 (4) fbs in Mar beating Bookiesindexdotnet (8-2) by 2 1/2l, 5 ran.