Tag Archive for: Sandown

Nicholls seeking personal best with another championship secured

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Paul Nicholls will head to Sandown on Saturday safe in the knowledge that a 14th trainers’ championship is already in the bag as he seeks to break his own prize money record.

Remarkably he is on course to break his best tally, set in 2007-08 when he housed the likes of Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Big Buck’s.

He needs less than £100,000 to topple the £3,646,511 earned in that stellar season and with major chances right throughout Saturday’s valuable card, it will be a surprise should he not manage it.

“We had the likes of Kauto Star, Denman, Big Buck’s, Master Minded and Neptune Collonges back then when we set that total and they won plenty of big races that season,” said Nicholls.

Paul Nicholls with Kauto Star (left) and Denman
Paul Nicholls with Kauto Star (left) and Denman (David Davies/PA)

“We’ve got Bravemansgame, who was second in a Gold Cup and who has won a King George VI Chase and Charlie Hall, but collectively across the board there wouldn’t be the number of stars like back then.

“We are almost certain to break it as it is less than £100,000 that we need. We have two or three in almost every race at Sandown and plenty of runners during the week so I would be disappointed if we don’t do it and do it by a good bit.

“We have got a 28 per cent strike rate as well and we are chuffed with that and it reflects well on the whole team. It is nice going into the meeting with no pressure as I’ve already won a 14th trainers’ championship.”

Greaneteen will head the charge, bidding to win the Grade One bet365 Celebration Chase for a third time. He could, though, face an unlikely rival in Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon.

“This is his race. He ran very well in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He would have been second had he not made a bad mistake at the top of the hill. He then stayed on and ran a really fine race,” said Nicholls.

“He loves Sandown and he is in good shape and is fresh and well. Hopefully he will go very well.

“Jonbon is in there but he would have to take his form to the next level. We are top on ratings and it is a bit different novice chasing compared to this sort of level but he is obviously a good horse.”

Frodon is due to carry a big weight in the bet365 Gold Cup but Nicholls has aimed him at the race for some time.

“I’ve had this race in mind for a while for Frodon. Good ground will suit him well. It would be handy if Hewick runs as he would keep the weights down,” said Nicholls.

“The track and trip will suit him a treat. He ran very well at Kempton the last day and he stayed on very well with 12st on his back. I think this is a nice race for him.

“It is a new trip but he has run well over an extended three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham and at Sandown on that good ground it will suit him well.”

Enrilo, Switch Hitter and Broken Halo are all set to join Frodon while Solo and McFabulous are in the bet365 Oaksey Chase, with the latter also holding an option over hurdles.

Knappers Hill is another with leading claims in the bet365 Select Hurdle.

Henderson makes Celebration Chase entry for Jonbon

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Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon is a surprise contender in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown.

A novice, his only defeat over fences came in the Arkle at Cheltenham behind Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo.

Since then he has won at Aintree when he appreciated the better ground, but he was expected to be put away for the season.

Henderson is no stranger to running novices in open company with Sprinter Sacre and Altior both winning the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury as novices.

“We’ve put him in so there’s a good chance he’ll turn up. He’s in there to run,” said the Seven Barrows trainer.

“We’re just monitoring him. He seems very well in himself. Everybody at home has been very happy with him and I thought he looked great yesterday and today so we popped him.

“He absolutely bounced off that good ground at Aintree, he really loves it.

“We’ve run novices in open company before so we have done it with others.”

Altior won the Celebration Chase three times himself and if Jonbon runs he will be attempting to stop Greaneteen from achieving the same feat.

Paul Nicholls’ chaser excels at Sandown, with a Tingle Creek to go with his two victories in this race.

Captain Guinness and Editeur Du Gite, second and third to Energumene in the Champion Chase, add further strength in depth to what could prove to be a fascinating Grade One contest.

First Flow, Funambule Sivola, Global Citizen and Magic Daze complete the list.

In the bet365 Gold Cup Saturday’s Scottish National winner Kitty’s Light could make a quick reappearance for Christian Williams.

Kitty’s Light won the Scottish National on Saturday
Kitty’s Light won the Scottish National on Saturday (Jane Barlow/PA)

Last year’s winner Hewick has also been left in by Shark Hanlon, although he has been declared to run in the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday.

Should Hewick not run Frodon will be at the head of the weights for Nicholls and Bryony Frost.

Nicholls could also run Switch Hitter and Enrillo. The latter was first past the post in the 2021 renewal but was disqualified and placed third.

Hewick has also been left in the bet365 Oaksey Chase in which Nicholls could run McFabulous and Solo.

McFabulous also has the option of running in the bet365 Select Hurdle along with stablemate Knappers Hill.

Goshen, Thyme Hill and Call Me Lord are among eight entries.

King Of Steel could test Classic aspirations at Sandown

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If his size and scope are matched by achievements on the track this season, the exciting King Of Steel – who could start off at Sandown next week – promises to be a horse to follow.

Owned by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation, the strapping son of Wootton Bassett was not seen until October during his two-year-old season but proved well worth the wait, bolting up on debut at Nottingham in the hands of Adam Kirby.

Sights were soon raised and he was pitched into the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster for his second start and although failing to land a blow in that Group One assignment, he remains a colt of significant potential ahead of his three-year-old campaign.

Switched to Roger Varian over the winter, he is in line for a step up to 10 furlongs in the Esher track’s bet365 Classic Trial before potentially following a similar path to the Carlburg handler’s St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov as the season progresses.

“He’s a very nice horse and he just doesn’t realise how big he is,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo.

“He is absolutely enormous, but he is such a gentle giant and so straightforward and easy to deal with. Roger is thrilled with him.

King Of Steel after winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Nottingham
King Of Steel after winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Nottingham (PA)

“He really is a super balanced horse for his size and it is only when you stand into him you realise how big he is.

“He has some fancy entries and we don’t know exactly where we are going to go with him yet, but as things stand we could go to Sandown a week on Friday for the Classic Trial. I think a stiff 10 furlongs there on softish ground would be a nice starting point.

“You would hope he might go to Royal Ascot for something like the Queen’s Vase and then build through the season to be a Leger horse, but it is still early days.”

Annsam enters Sandown reckoning with Ludlow success

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Evan Williams will consider at tilt at the bet365 Gold Cup for Annsam following his comprehensive victory in the Boyne Cup at Ludlow.

The eight-year-old won the lucrative Silver Cup at Ascot last season and opened his account for the current campaign with a dominant front-running success at Kempton in January.

He could finish only seventh when well fancied for the Coral Trophy at the same venue the following month, but bounced back to winning ways in Ludlow’s £18,000 feature.

Having been ridden with a little more restraint than in his recent starts by Adam Wedge, Annsam followed Good Boy Bobby into the home straight before taking over jumping the third fence from home.

The 100-30 chance ran down the final obstacle, but negotiated it safely and was well on top as he passed the post with two and a quarter lengths in hand over The Wolf.

“It was a tricky, competitive race today, but he always shaped like a better horse than the result last time and I’m delighted he’s gone and won,” said Williams.

“He’s still a work in progress to some extent. He can still be a bit awkward and gawky at times.

“I thought it was very important to settle him in behind horses today. I don’t like one dimensional horses and it’s not really my style to be making the running with them.

“I just felt taking our time a bit more with him today will really help him going forwards.”

Trainer Evan Williams at Cheltenham
Trainer Evan Williams at Cheltenham (Simon Marper/PA)

The Welsh trainer will now target his charge at the final day of the season at Sandown on April 29, with the bet365 Gold Cup and the Grade Two Oaksey Chase considered feasible options.

“I’m going to be silly and put him in the two-mile-six race (Oaksey) and the bet365 over three-mile-five, but I think he’ll stay and I’d have no hesitation running him over that trip. It gives us options and he will be aimed at Sandown anyway.

“I know he only won by a couple of lengths today, but I thought he was by far the best horse in the race and he still look like there’s more in the tank.”

Trainer Alastair Ralph, conditional jockey Jay Tidball and owner-breeder Norma Harris enjoyed a memorable afternoon, teaming up to complete a double on the card.

Magical Maggie justified 5-4 favouritism in the JM Construction Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle before 10-1 shot Scherbobalob secured top honours in the Watch On RacingTV Handicap Hurdle.

Crambo hits back of the net for O’Brien in EBF Final

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Crambo came out on top after a pulsating finish to the EBF Final at Sandown.

A dual bumper winner at Huntingdon last season, Fergal O’Brien’s charge picked up where he left off when making a successful hurdling debut at Ascot in November.

The six-year-old was pulled up in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve, but a subsequent wind operation appeared to do the trick as he comfortably bounced back to winning ways at Bangor last month to earn himself another step up in grade in this £80,000 novices’ handicap.

Ridden positively from flag-fall by Connor Brace, Crambo disputed the early running before moving into a clear lead heading out onto the second circuit.

The 15-2 chance looked like he might have to make do with minor honours after being challenged and passed by Inneston early in the home straight, but Brace never panicked and his mount rallied bravely on the run-in to get back up and score by half a length.

O’Brien said: “Connor gets on very well with the horse and we’ve never got to the bottom of him.

“Even when the horse passed him today, we hadn’t given up as we knew he’d dig in. He did it Ascot, where he had to grind it out and won cosily in the end, and at Bangor the other day it was the same.

“I wouldn’t say he won cosily today, but he got the job done under a very good, positive ride. I’m delighted for Connor as he deserves his chance and he’s taken it today.

“I’ll have to speak to the owners and we’ll make a plan. I think the ground is important to him – he wouldn’t want it quick. There’s probably something at Aintree for him if it came up soft enough.”

Larchmont Lass and Harry Cobden at Sandown
Larchmont Lass and Harry Cobden at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Larchmont Lass lunged late to secure Listed honours in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Previously placed at Ascot and Wincanton, the Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old was a 9-2 shot stepping up in class in the hands of Harry Cobden.

Casa No Mento battled bravely in front in an attempt to preserve her unbeaten record, but she was unable to resist the thrust of Larchmont Lass, with a neck separating the pair at the line.

Nicholls, like Cobden completing a double following the Imperial Cup victory of Iceo, said of Larchmont Lass: “She’s not been easy as she’s been very keen. We put a hood on her today for the first time, just to try and get her to settle, which she did.

“Turning into the straight I thought we’d given her plenty to do, but Harry felt they were always coming back to him and she got up on the line.

“She’s had three runs and she’ll go out now (for a summer break). She’ll be a lovely novice hurdler next year. A lovely summer will do her the world of good.”

Gary Moore’s Spirit D’Aunou was all out to justify odds-on favouritism in the Racing Only Bettor Podcast Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

A narrowly beaten second on his Kempton debut, the four-year-old had since struck gold at Huntingdon and Ludlow and was the 5-6 favourite to complete his hat-trick under the trainer’s son Jamie.

Spirit D'Aunou (left) and Jamie Moore won the opening race at Sandown
Spirit D’Aunou (left) and Jamie Moore won the opening race at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Havaila came at him hard racing up the hill, but Spirit D’Aunou stuck to his guns to prevail by half a length.

“He was a four-year-old carrying a lot of weight out there so it wasn’t going to be easy for him,” said Moore senior.

“I didn’t know if this horse would go in the ground or not or not, but he is a very genuine horse and I like him a lot.

“He is still a baby learning and he is going to improve with racing and time. I’d like to think he would go to Ascot in early April for that juvenile handicap hurdle there.”

The Moores doubled up with Hudson De Grugy (11-4) in the Betfair Daily Multiples Offer At Cheltenham Novices’ Handicap Chase – and made it a treble on the afternoon in the concluding Daily Tips On Betting.Betfair.com Handicap Chase with 9-1 shot Zhiguli.

Iceo strikes Imperial gold for Nicholls

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Iceo provided Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden with big-race success ahead of next week’s Cheltenham Festival with an impressive display in the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The champion trainer has not saddled a winner at the showpiece meeting since the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Politologue three years ago, but will return to the Cotswolds with high hopes for the likes Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle ace Hermes Allen and Gold Cup contender Bravemansgame.

The Ditcheat team claimed eight winners in the first nine days of March and Iceo continued the hot streak with victory in the traditional feature the weekend before the Festival.

The French recruit ran with promise in a couple of Grade Two juvenile events last season and finished second on his handicap debut at Sandown in January, his first appearance in 11 months.

The four-year-old was 5-1 for this tougher assignment and while the front-running Knickerbockerglory looked likely to prevail halfway up the home straight, Iceo reeled him in between the final two flights and was ultimately good value for the winning margin of just under four lengths.

Nicholls said: “He ran well here a couple of months ago having been off for a year with a tiny fracture on his cannon bone. We had to give him time and he needed that run. I said one race we will aim for is the Imperial Cup and pray it rains.

“The rain came for him, he stays strongly and it was the perfect ride. Today was always the plan and Chris (Giles, owner) has been backing him all week. If the ground would have been good they might have gone too quick for him. He wants a trip really.

“I thought he would finish fifth or sixth the last day and it looked like he was going to win jumping the last but he just got tired. At the stage of fitness he was there I knew there was huge improvement to come. I knew we had him right today.”

Paul Nicholls was delighted to win the Imperial Cup with Iceo
Paul Nicholls was delighted to win the Imperial Cup with Iceo (Steven Paston/PA)

Iceo is entered in the County Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday, but he appears unlikely to make a quick return.

“Looking at him there I’d say going to Cheltenham is unlikely as Harry said he had a hard race. We are not chasing any bonus,” Nicholls added.

“Chris would love to have a runner at Ayr so if the Scottish Champion Hurdle was testing ground we could run him there.”

Sandown and Ayr fixtures given go-ahead

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Saturday’s Betfair Imperial Cup meeting at Sandown was given the green light following a morning inspection.

Racing took place at the Esher venue on Tuesday, but persistent wintry showers since eased conditions significantly and clerk of the course Andrew Cooper admitted the track would have “struggled to race” on Thursday.

With further rain and freezing temperatures forecast, Cooper on Friday called an inspection for 8am on raceday morning – and while the mercury dipped to as low as minus 2.7C, racing was given the go-ahead.

There was further positive news from north of the border at Ayr.

The Scottish circuit staged racing on Friday, but with frost forecast officials called a precautionary check for 8.30am.

However, temperatures did not even dip below freezing at Ayr, meaning the inspection was brought forward and racing will take place as scheduled.

Unfortunately a quality card at Navan, due to stage the Grade Two Webster Cup, was cancelled.

Brendan Sheridan, Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board clerk of the course, said: “Unfortunately the track remained unfit for racing and we had no option but to cancel the fixture.

“Snow remains on the track and there was frost overnight last night meaning that most areas are not fit for racing.”

With the course flooded, Wednesday’s meeting at Huntingdon is already in serious doubt, with an inspection called for 4pm on Sunday.

Imperial Cup card subject to Saturday morning inspection

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Saturday’s Betfair Imperial Cup meeting at Sandown will need to pass an 8am inspection if it is to go ahead as scheduled.

Racing took place at Sandown on Tuesday, but persistent wintry showers since have eased conditions significantly and clerk of the course Andrew Cooper admitted the track would have “struggled to race” on Thursday.

With further rain forecast and temperatures set to dip below freezing on Friday night, Cooper has called an inspection for raceday morning, with the track in a “difficult situation”.

He said: “It’s clearly a case of taking stock on Saturday morning, but the immediate issues and concerns here would be rainfall and the wetness of the conditions here after the week we’ve had.

“We raced on Tuesday and the rain started in this neck of the woods after a long break without rain on Tuesday morning. We’ve now had the best part of 30 millimetres, so over an inch of rain, and there could be a bit more rain later today.

“It’s a difficult situation with challenges potentially on two fronts as we’re also forecast a sudden, sharp frost here tonight.

“The general appraisal is we could get down to minus 2C. It could be less than that or it could be sharper than that, we’ll just have to see.

“It’s a combination of things really.”

Racing at Ayr goes ahead on Friday, but an inspection has been called ahead of Saturday's card
Racing at Ayr goes ahead on Friday, but an inspection has been called ahead of Saturday’s card (Jeff Holmes/PA)

With two inches of snow on the track, officials at Leicester had no option but to abandon Friday’s card, but there was better news north of the border, with racing at Ayr given the go-ahead.

The Scottish venue is also due to stage a Saturday fixture, which is subject to a precautionary inspection at 8.30am due to a forecast of overnight temperatures dipping to as low as minus 3C.

Friday’s all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton survived following three inspections, while Saturday’s jumps card at Hereford was abandoned following a 9.30am inspection.

There are also concerns in Ireland with Navan’s Saturday meeting, which is due to feature the Grade Two Webster Cup Chase, subject to a 7.30am inspection.

Sandown has ‘real fighting chance’ in battle against the weather

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Officials at Sandown insist there is “a real fighting chance” that Saturday’s Betfair Imperial Cup meeting will go ahead as planned.

The Esher track was fit to race on Tuesday, although persistent wintry showers have subsequently eased the ground to soft, heavy in places.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said precautions will be taken with the forecast of sub-zero temperatures on Friday evening.

“It has been a difficult 24 hours,” he said on Thursday afternoon. “We raced on Tuesday and caught about seven millimetres of rain in the morning before racing, which increased the damage on the day.

“Yesterday we started off with about three centimetres of snow. The rain gauges are showing about 15mm of something here yesterday and we’ve had bits and pieces today, about 4mm. There is still lingering rain in the mix, certainly until Friday morning, then the forecast is for a frost Friday night into Saturday, just to help things!”

However, while admitting that the track would have “struggled to race” on Thursday, Cooper remains upbeat for the weekend.

“I think we have a real fighting chance,” he added. “The frost is a little sting in the tail that we could have done without and because it is so wet and the timeframe we are in, we are not going to cover everything – you’d trash the place just getting covers onto the course.

“We will cover the shaded area in front of the grandstands and all the bits we know are prone to frost sticking around.

“We are getting there. Although there is rain around, it is not heavy rain and things are certainly settling down and gradually improving in terms of ground conditions. Currently we are moving in the right direction.”

Hereford is also scheduled to stage racing on Saturday
Hereford is also scheduled to stage racing on Saturday (David Davies/PA)

Hereford’s seven-race Saturday card could be in jeopardy, with the course not fit for action at present and an inspection called for 9.30am on Friday.

Clerk of the course Libby O’Flaherty said: “The snow has started to melt, but the track is currently unraceable. We are in the hands of the weather and will give it every chance we can, but we will need a little bit of luck.

“We will have a better idea on Friday morning when all the snow has gone.”

Friday’s meetings at Ayr and Leicester are subject to inspections at 8am and 7.30am respectively, with Wolverhampton’s all-weather fixture also needing to pass am 8am check.

Exeter and Kempton are also scheduled to race.

Soul Icon set to swerve Imperial Cup

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Wintry weather has ruled Soul Icon out of a tilt at the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday.

The six-year-old has won seven of his last eight races, starting his winning streak rated 73 at Huntingdon and winning most recently in a Cheltenham handicap off a mark of 117.

He was due to run off 127 on Saturday on his intended comeback run after 141 days off the track, but the weather has scuppered that plan with sleet and heavy rain falling over Esher and leaving conditions unsuitably testing.

“We’ve decided he won’t go and that’s because of the ground,” said trainer Keiran Burke.

“It’s only going to get worse so we’re definitely not going to run, the weather will leave the ground too soft for him.”

A run in The Abersoch Land and Sea Handicap Hurdle at Aintree is the plan now and Burke may seek out another suitable race beforehand.

He said: “We’ll definitely go to the boys’ race at Aintree with him and we might try and sneak another run into him beforehand but I’m not sure where yet, that’s all a bit up in the air at the minute.”