Sandown Sunday review & replays
Henderson happy to keep ball rolling
Southoftheborder appeared to be the latest useful recruit to be unleashed by trainer Nicky Henderson after appearing a cut above his rivals in the Tattersalls Tingle Creek Festival Sale Maiden Hurdle.
Purchased for £145,000 at the Goffs UK Tingle Creek mixed sale held at the Esher track last December the gelded son of Leading Light made it two wins from as many appearances under rules in the two-mile prize to give both Henderson a winner with his only runner on the card.
Although Spirits Bay attempted to move off in pursuit during the closing stages the 8/15 chance, who made a winning racecourse debut at Ffos Las last season, only needed to be nudged out to score by two and a half lengths to set up a potential tilt in the Listed Betfair Claremont Novices’ Hurdle over course and distance on December 9.
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Henderson said: “We got him here last year at the sale at the Tingle Creek meeting following a recommendation from Derek O’Connor.
“He will be a proper horse as we have only taken half the wraps off him yet. I looked at it through one last night and I thought there looked like some decent opposition in there.
“You wouldn’t want to overdo this fellow as he is big and you could wind him up too much. It is a case of going gently with him. Nico (de Boinville) said he was lovely and that he could run around again.
“I should think that (the new Listed race at the Tingle Creek meeting) is the sort of thing that we could look at and we could look at what was the Kennel Gate at Ascot for Willmount. You want to go gently with this lad for the time being as he doesn’t need winding up yet. He will get further when we want to there is no doubt it.”
The sponsors cut Southoftheborder to 25/1 from 50/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Bobby backs up recent success
Nigel Twiston-Davies might have to work his charm to persuade connections of Good Boy Bobby to have a second tilt at the Randox Grand National, but an outing in the final of the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase final at Sandown looks a safe bet following his victory in the latest qualifier.
After snatching victory from the jaws of defeat on his return to action at Chepstow in leg seven of the series last month the sprightly 10-year-old made it two wins from as many starts for his new owners Dash Grange Stud with victory from the front in the Sri Lanka Paradise Island Veterans’ Handicap Chase.
Despite all of his rivals, with the exception of Elegant Escape, still holding some kind of chance at the second last the 5/4 favourite, who pulled up in the 2022 Grand National, found plenty for pressure after the last fence to run out a two length winner of the three mile contest from De Rasher Counter.
Twiston-Davies said: “He has been with us for a very long time and that is his twelfth win for us now. We were desperate to keep him in the yard and Jayne McGivern (of Dash Grange Stud) rang and said we will have him as she has loved watching him in all of his races.
“Thank goodness she came along as I didn’t have the finances to do it myself. He loved it out there today. We might find one more race before coming back here for the final providing everything is okay.
“I don’t think the owners are too keen on the Grand National, but I would love to have a go though. At the moment the Grand National is a no, but I might have to do a lot of bribing. I think the currency of free training fees or something like that might work!”
Patron puts them all to the sword
Gary Moore could soon be looking at top-class targets with Le Patron, who maintained his unbeaten record over fences with a bold front running display of jumping in the Sri Lanka-The Wonder Of Asia Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Sandown.
Having opened his account over fences at Fontwell last month the gelded son of Balko successfully defied a nine pounds rise in the weights for that success when putting his three rivals to the sword in the two-and-a-half-mile test.
Barely needing to get out of second gear the 11/2 chance measured almost every fence perfectly around a track which is renowned for being one of the toughest jumping tests before clearing right away after the last to score by 10 lengths.
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Moore said: “He got it all his own way out in front, but I’ll be quite honest I’m amazed he won as easily as he did as he won a bad race at Fontwell and the runner-up has since been beaten in a 0-100.
“Blow Your Wad is a decent horse and he had good form and Henri The Second was a Grade Two winner over hurdles, but he has done that very well.
“His greatest asset is his jumping and what a place to bring a horse that jumps like he does. He never got out of second gear really. It has exceeded my expectations what he has done. He has always been a horse that we liked but we nurtured him last season with a view to going chasing this season and it has been so far so good.”
Looking ahead Moore hinted that an outing in the Grade One Scilly Isles Chase over course and distance in February could be a realistic target should Le Patron continue to progress over fences.
He added: “There are some nice races you can come back here and there is no better place to come for me. You could look at the Scilly Isles back here in February. He doesn’t have to make the running as well but as he had the experience over fences Jamie (Moore) wanted to keep it simple."
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Lucy Wadham is not known for making grand plans, however an appearance in the Imperial Cup could beckon in the second half of the season for Arqoob, who joined an elite list of horses to score over both jumps and on the flat at the track in the Sri Lanka-The Jewel Of Asia Handicap Hurdle.
After finishing third on his return to hurdles at Plumpton the dual-purpose performer built on that effort when sweeping through late on in the two-mile contest in the hands of Bryony Frost to defeat Kaleb, who finished one place ahead of five year old last time out, by three and a quarter lengths.
Wadham said of the 100/30 favourite: “I was a bit surprised he went of favourite. We thought he had an each-way shout, but it is tough out there as the ground is testing. He was probably not in love with it, but he does like that hill.
“Bryony just waited a bit longer than normal and I think that was pretty key. He winged the last and that really sealed it. He is so consistent that you could set your watch by him.
“He has just taken a while to get the hang of jumping and I was a bit disappointed with the way he jumped the last day. His jumping however has always been good at home, but that is completely different to what it is like in a race.
“We will go home and look what there is for him, but I suppose we might be thinking about the Imperial Cup later in the season if we get his rating high enough. I’ve had a few seconds recently so we know they are running well, but it is nice to knock one in.”
Pam Sly heaped plenty of praised on jockey Paul O’Brien after Xcitations secured a second course and distance success when carrying topweight to glory in the Amazing Sri Lanka Elmbridge Handicap Chase.
Appearing to need his first start of the season at Kempton Park 21 days ago the gelded son of Universal benefitted from a patient ride by O’Brien, who steered the 9/2 chance to glory by three quarters of a length from Western Zephyr.
Sly said: “Xcitations loves it around here, but I’m very lucky to have Paul O’Brien, however I’m going to struggle as not only will he be used by Harry Derham but Henrietta Knight will also be using him as he is in there riding out every week.
“He is great this horse and he has been a star for us. Thankfully he is physically strong enough to carry that sort of weight.
“Paul said they would go off at some speed and that he would just take his time. He was dropped two pounds for his Kempton run, but I suspect he will now go back up to 140 so I’m not sure where we go after this.”
Cameron Iles left the track boasting a perfect record after celebrating a winner on his first ride at the course when partnering the Tom Lacey-trained Operation Manna to victory by 13 lengths in the Visit Sri Lanka Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
Iles said: “That was my first ride around here and it is incredible being here and getting a ride on a day like today.
“He travelled beautifully through it and his jumping really improved. Coming to two out I thought I would lucky to be second as the front horse was running away with it.
“Apart from the time he pulled up at Chepstow he wasn’t out of the first three last season. He was fresh and well and if he was in the sort of form he was in early last season then I thought he would go well.”
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