Sandown 3.00
SANDOWN 3.00 - Veterans Handicap Chase Final - 3 miles Class 2 - Soft (16 run)
This Veterans Chase is the final of a series of races for 10 year-olds and upwards with the qualifiers taking place throughout the previous year. There is usually a £100K prize-fund for the race but this year, due to the financial constraints associated with Covid, it is reduced to £70,000. Even so this excellent initiative is well supported with many old favourites lining up here.
The current going on the chase course is described as ‘Soft, Good To Soft in places’ and, whilst, therefore, not bottomless ground by any means, the fact that frost covers have been down on some of the track may mean that it will still be hard work and stamina will come to the fore.
It can be dangerous to rely on handicap ratings too much in contests like this, as sometimes it can just be a case of which of these old warriors fancy it most, but there’s no doubt that MINELLACELEBRATION faces a big task off top weight and a mark some 10lbs higher than he has ever defied before. He is a horse that enjoyed a decent 2020, following wind surgery, winning 2 of his 5 races and finishing 2nd in the other. His biggest win came in Uttoxeter’s Summer Cup in July whilst his other win came in a Veterans Chase at Aintree, in soft ground in October, where he got the better of 3 of today’s opponents. He is a bit of a specialist around Aintree’s Mildmay circuit and is yet to race at this venue but, although yet to do so over fences, he has won 3 times over hurdles going right-handed.
Next in at the weights is the current favourite for the race, CROSSPARK, who, after a disappointing 2019/20 season, will be looking to finally get his nose in front this season after finishing as runner-up in all 3 starts so far. He is one in here who has proven himself as an out-and-out stayer over the years, having won the Eider Chase over 4 miles and, also, finished 2nd in The Scottish National over the same trip – both in 2019. His last run saw him finish 2nd in The London National here at the beginning of December and, although this trip is 5 furlongs shorter than that race, he, also, finished 2nd over this course-and-distance in November. On both occasions, he was ridden by today’s jockey, Harry Skelton, and it was eye-catching that he was confirmed as the jockey for this race very early on this week. He clearly gets on well with the horse, having been on board for 4 of his 6 career wins, and has only finished out of the first 3 on the horse on 3 occasions from 13 rides. He is up 3lbs from his last run and is now on a career-high mark but he is definitely one for the short-list.
Last year’s race was won by JEPECK and he is back here this year looking for a repeat. This former point-to-pointer was formerly trained by Kayley Woollacott but has shown all of his decent form since transferring to his current yard just over 2 years ago. He was backed into a strong favourite last year and returns here off exactly the same mark. He’s been below-par since winning here 12 months ago, and has been pulled up in both starts this season, but you suspect that this would have been the target again for his shrewd trainer and, with his jockey claiming 7lbs off his back, he gets to carry a very low weight. If the ground were to turn really testing then his chances would be even stronger, as his record in soft and heavy ground is excellent, whilst, with connections trying a first-time tongue-tie and cheekpieces, any money for this one could be significant.
JEPECK is one of only two horses here that have previously won at this track. The other is the current outsider of the field BALLYDINE. He is very lightly raced for a horse that has just turned 11 years of age and has raced just 16 times under rules. He has had several injury issues and, until January 2019, was extremely consistent over fences. In the last two years, however, he has only completed in one of his four outings and was beaten a long way by MINELLACELEBRATION in that one completion at Aintree in October. He is, however, now 2lbs lower than his last winning mark as a result and that last win came over course-and-distance. It is possible that there are excuses for some of his recent form, with heavy ground proving too much for him in marathon chases twice and the other non-completion being a first fence fall over the Grand National fences, and a return to this venue in better underfoot conditions should be more in his favour. Connections apply blinkers whilst the claiming jockey takes off 5lbs to help the cause and the trainer has a decent record in this race. His jumping has let him down on occasions in the past but it would not surprise me to see him out-run his odds here.
There is just the one horse below BALLYDINE in the handicap here and that is last year’s runner-up REGAL FLOW. He is now 14 years old but his runs so far this season would indicate that he is still enjoying the game, competing in the same two races at this venue as CROSSPARK, finishing 6th and 3rd. He runs off a 3lb lower mark than last year but, when taking into account the claims of the jockeys, he is actually 1lb worse off with the winner this time around. This former Midlands National winner is a horse for whom the ground cannot get soft enough and, with his stamina assured, I’m sure connections would have liked to have seen deeper ground than we may get here.
Nicky Henderson has indicated that some horses from his stable are a little ‘below par’ at present but he runs a couple in this contest. The first is GOLD PRESENT who, in his younger days, was a very smart horse, beating the likes of Frodon and finishing 2nd at The Cheltenham Festival. He finished 4th last time out, at Warwick, in a qualifier for this which contained 5 of today’s field and that was a step in the right direction having refused to race the time before. The major worry for this horse is the going as he has never won on anything softer than Good To Soft.
The other entrant from Seven Barrows, however, VALTOR, should enjoy the soft ground here. This 12 year-old only joined this yard just over 2 years ago and announced himself on the British stage with an impressive win over this trip at Ascot when taking a listed contest a few weeks later. This is only his 10th start for the Henderson stable but he had plenty of experience in France before coming to the UK and his best form there was in very soft conditions. On the face of it, his form this season does not inspire confidence but he possibly needed the run first time out at Ascot and clearly didn’t enjoy going left-handed last time in the aforementioned qualifying race at Warwick. He should be more comfortable back on a right-handed track with his record in the UK going this way round showing 2 wins and 2 places from just 5 runs. He is now 3lbs lower than when winning on UK debut at Ascot and, therefore, on his lowest mark since coming to these shores. He seems to have everything in his favour here and is definitely one for the short-list.
The qualifying race at Warwick in November was won by POTTERS LEGEND, his first run after wind surgery, and he comes here off a 5lb higher mark having run an excellent 2nd place last time out at Cheltenham in a Grade 3 chase. He goes very well in soft ground, with 3 wins and 7 places from 14 runs in such conditions, and ran with credit on both his previous visits to this track. He does stay further than this trip and, being a horse who is usually held up, he is one who could take advantage if they go off too hard up front. He was, originally, set to run at Cheltenham yesterday but switches here with that being cancelled. Although this is, therefore, a sort of plan B, he is another one for the shortlist.
Filling the runner-up spot, behind POTTERS LEGEND at Warwick, was the now 14 year-old THEATRE GUIDE. He is 1lb higher but is still 1lb lower than his mark when 3rd in this contest last year and, also, 2nd the year before. He has been grand old servant to connections over the years but it is over 4 years now since he won a race and he has never run so well on soft ground as he has on better conditions.
One place further back at Warwick was STRONG PURSUIT. He has had a few injury issues over the years and, as a consequence, he is extremely lightly-raced for an 11 year-old. With only 5 runs over fences, he is still somewhat exposed in this discipline but, although this has been the plan for some time, he has never convinced in testing conditions.
Whilst the Warwick qualifier provides 5 of today’s runners, the one run at Haydock in early December sees 4 of those who ran re-opposing here.
The race was won by LATE ROMANTIC. Although now 11 years old, this lad has run his best races in the last year or so and has gone up 15lbs in the ratings as a result. He is best in very testing conditions and, with conditions drying here (and maybe becoming very sticky), he may switch to an alternative engagement up at Ayr.
Well behind LATE ROMANTIC at Haydock, back in 4th, was FINGERONTHESWITCH who runs here for the in-form stable of Neil Mulholland. He is down 2lbs here but still remains 13lbs above his last winning mark, which came when he bolted up at nearby Kempton just under a year ago. That was over today’s trip and he had MINELLACELEBRATION well behind on that occasion. Although the forecast is for further drying weather, albeit cold, the conditions are still likely to be testing and this 11 year-old has always preferred a sounder surface. He has run in deeper races than this in the last year or so but the doubts about the underfoot conditions are enough for me to pass him over here.
Pulled up in the Haydock race was SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT who makes the long trek down here from Sandy Thomson’s stable in the Scottish borders. He won a qualifier for this at Carlisle last March and finished well ahead of JEPECK on that occasion although he is 11lbs worse off with that opponent here. That said, a repeat of that form would see him go close here and his last run did come after 9 months off the track, in heavy ground, so he may strip much fitter here. He was formerly quite a high class chaser, beating the likes of Bristol De Mai and winning The Dipper Chase at Cheltenham as a novice. He is only 1lb higher than when winning at Carlisle last March and has won off a mark 12lbs higher than this in the past. He bounced back from a poor seasonal debut last year to win next time out and so it is feasible he could do so again. He has not run at this venue before but has won twice at Carlisle which is not too dissimilar in nature and I believe this has been the plan for the 13 year old since last March.
Also pulled up at Haydock was BURTONS WELL. Formerly owned by Trevor Hemmings, before being one of those sold by him in November, this 12 year-old was also pulled up in last year’s renewal of this contest. He followed that up with victory in a Doncaster qualifier for this, beating both MINELLACELEBRATION and POTTERS LEGEND, in first-time cheekpieces so it is interesting to see his trainer opt for first-time blinkers here in the hope that he has the same effect as on that occasion.
The final two horses in the race both run for trainers I have a lot of respect for. Firstly, SAMETEGAL represents Paul Nicholls and his trainer has tried to freshen him up by sending him out hunting in recent weeks. He is 1lb below his last winning mark but that was nearly 5 years ago and I don’t think he wants this sort of stamina test in this ground over this trip, having never won over further than 2 ½ miles.
SIR IVAN runs for Harry Fry and he, too, has been competing, mainly, over distances short of this in the past year and may find this too much of a stamina test. He has also never won in this class so has to produce something of a career best here.
There are a number of factors that combine to make this a difficult race to solve but we never like to shy away from a challenge here so time to put my neck on the block with a main selection from the above analysis and thoughts.
CROSSPARK, JEPECK and VALTOR were all high up on my short-list but the return to this right-handed track, in soft conditions, and off his lowest UK mark, tips the balance in favour of VALTOR. He has been well supported during Friday but there is still enough juice in his price to make him a solid each-way pick.
TIP - Valtor / TRACKERS - Ballydine + Seeyouatmidnight
--------