The Veterans' Chase Final at Sandown

Small fields for the most part at Sandown tomorrow.

Ed Chamberlin won't be the only one desperate to see the Irish-trained mare Laurina, currently as low as 7/2 with several layers for the Champion Hurdle, make her seasonal debut at 1.50. She faces just three opponents.

Thirty five minutes later six face the starter for the Tolworth. Seven days ago at Newbury the Challow turned into something of a tactical affair; here both Elixir De Nutz and Southfield Stone have made all previously so, hopefully, we'll see a truly run race.

By contrast seventeen runners have been declared for the Veterans' Handicap Chase at 3.00. 

Those looking for an unexposed type in this sort of race might usually expect to have their work cut out but market leader Rock Gone has relatively low mileage on the clock with just six chase starts to his name; he has never won over this trip.

Sam Twiston-Davies rides for Dr Richard Newland and I'm assuming Sam has chosen Rock Gone, having also ridden the favourite's stablemate Band Of Blood when fourth behind Cultram Abbey at Kelso last month. 

Cultram Abbey was raised five pounds for that effort but he looked good. He has done a lot of his racing around Perth and Carlisle.

Charlie Longsdon saddles Pete The Feat and Loose Chips who finished first and third respectively in the 2017 renewal; both clearly love it around here and hold each-way chances.

Aged 15, the former is the oldest runner in the race while the latter beat Rock Gone over this course and distance in November (Rathlin Rose fourth, Pete The Feat seventh, Tenor Nivernais ninth and Theatre Guide tenth) and now meets the second eight pounds worse off.

Rathlin Rose would be expected to come on for that fourth behind Loose Chips on his seasonal debut and has also been dropped two pounds to a mark of 130. Last March Rathlin Rose won at Ascot off 128 with Houblon Des Obeaux third, Loose Chips fourth and Band Of Blood fifth.

Buywise came home in front last year (Pete The Feat second, Loose Chips fifth and Houblon Des Obeaux sixth) but he has always been a horse that takes at least one liberty at the obstacles in his races.

With the covers down and the going on the chase track currently described as good to soft, soft in places, good in places on the back straight, underfoot conditions may not be quite as testing as in some previous years. 

Course and distance winner Le Reve is likely to appreciate better ground and that comment may also apply to top weight Exitas and Houblon Des Obeaux who appeared to get stuck in the mud behind Daklondike at Haydock last time. Although apparently unfancied in the market, Venetia Williams' charge is there with every chance on Racing Post ratings and the stable is in very good form.

Henlan Harri likes it here, will appreciate the better ground and has gone well after a layoff in the past but the stable hasn't had a winner for 24 days.

A wide open event and, of course, it's possible to make a case for several in the field. 

I'm tempted by Band Of Blood who should certainly finish closer to Cultram Abbey but Sam Twiston-Davies is clearly keen on Rock Gone so I'm going to take an each-way interest in Houblon Des Obeaux, sixth in this race last year off 143, beaten under 12 lengths. Paddy Power offer 20/1 and pay one fifth the odds six places.

A quick footnote on Plumpton's card on Sunday. The novice chase at 1.10 should prove highly informative while my New Year's Day each-way selection Big Meadow tries again in the Sussex National after unseating at the first at Exeter. Richard Johnson rides but the drying ground is still the negative.

Bits and pieces

Just a quick post this week as I don't intend to play tomorrow.

Call me old-fashioned, but three six furlong handicap sprints with 27 runners apiece, all likely to be run on soft / heavy ground - the Ayr Bronze Cup at 1.45, the Ayr Silver Cup at 2.20 and the Ayr Gold Cup at 3.30 - has the whiff of a bookmakers' benefit to me.

Barring accidents, Dvinsky will go into the record books when running in the 32Red.com Handicap (Div 2) at Wolverhampton this evening; the eleven-year-old gelding starts his 218th race, a modern day record. To date he has 19 wins, 34 seconds and 33 third places to his name. It's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts...

Sunday's weather looks rather unpredicatable; I'll look at the Plumpton card more closely if the rain stays away.

John Ferguson turned a few heads in his first season as a trainer - he saddles two at the track, Once More Dubai (3.00) and Haymarket (2.30). The former boasts smart Flat form and the Weekender reports the gelding has been 'intensively schooled' while it would be no surprise to see improvement in the latter, rated a more modest 69 on the level.

I considered recent winner Baily Storm in the 3.30 but his jumping record has put me off.

Four-year-olds have won six of the last ten renewals of the 4.00 race. Ugo is a hold-up horse with his fair share of weight and on balance would probably prefer a bit further but he ran well over course and distance in the spring; perhaps he was a little too fresh after a summer break last time out so he is potentially of interest at an each-way price.

A couple of small notes...

An article in Friday's Guardian highlighted Channel 4's desire to save money without cutting its racing coverage. Bosses aiming to save £10,000 per programme are examining the manner in which presenters are used - Nick Luck looks set to become anchorman on The Morning Line.

Unfortunately the Racing Post's campaign to try and ensure Tony McCoy was one of the finalists for the 2009 Sports Personality of the Year has failed. McCoy rode his 3,000th winner, Restless D'Artaix, at Plumpton in February, but it would appear that the wider public aren't really all that interested.

A letter from Charlie Flindt of Alresford, Hampshire was published in The Times earlier this week. Apparently Google released its list of 'most searched words and terms' on December 1st, yet included figures for the whole of December. Mr Flindt enquires 'Is there any chance of it publishing all the racing results for the next month?' If only...

Finally, it has taken a long time but I'm starting to realise what many of you know already - that the tips on this blog are not the road to untold riches. Obviously I'm disappointed but you'll be pleased to hear I'm still keeping an eye out for new opportunities... At Liverpool earlier in the week I was fortunate enough to be in a position to give an impromptu concert at the world famous Cavern Club (picture below); halfway through my routine, for some unfathomable reason, the audience started to boo the previous act all over again. I think I could be on the verge of something big...

Easter cards

Easter is an awkward time of year - family, holidays, wet weather, all that sort of stuff, and the run-of-the-mill racing that comes with it doesn't do much to ameliorate the situation. Earlier today (Good Friday), heaven knows how, I ended up listening to Classic FM's Hall Of Fame marathon for a few minutes, in which they count down the top 300 classical works, with the 'all-important Number One' due to be announced just before 9.00pm on Easter Monday. I think I was listening to Exsultate Jubilate K.165 by one Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but I couldn't be certain. Enough of that; here's a few notes on the Easter weekend's offerings...

I'm struggling to find something that makes much appeal on Saturday. Only five go to post in the Sports 360 & The Football Conference Handicap Chase at Haydock; at the time of writing the Sporting Life price up Philip Hobbs' Gershwin 6/4 favourite. This six year old looks plenty short enough in the market considering his limited chasing experience. Dominican Monk warrants consideration but a reading of his form suggests the ground may ride a little quick for him. In the Weekender Colin Russell expects a big run from Tom's Toybox with regular amateur Lucy Horner claiming five. Beggars Cap unseated Graham Lee in the Grand Annual but prior to that the horse had finished seventh behind Leslingtaylor at Doncaster, with Tom's Toybox a further seven lengths behind in eighth. On that occasion Coach Lane was third, beaten just under ten lengths by Leslingtaylor. In the meantime Coach Lane was pulled up at Lingfield but, if you forgive him that run where he didn't jump well, he looks bang in with a chance here yet in the tissue is priced at 10/1. The Sporting Life claim Coach Lane is out of form which I think a little unkind - I'll wait to see how the market shapes up tomorrow before making any decisions.

At Carlisle the opener looks between Sa Suffit and Fit To Drive while a lot of the fancied runners in the Totescoop6 Handicap Chase have shown their form when the ground is riding on the soft side. In the concluding hunters' chase Geeveem, formerly with Paul Nicholls, will be worth a second look as he's the top-rated individual and being by Supreme Leader should handle better going.

In the Weekender Malcolm Heyhoe is keen on Heebie Jeebie in Sunday's finale at Plumpton and I'm with him. I was at Stratford when the mare, having her first run for nearly nine months, ran a stormer over slightly further to finish third, less than a length behind Quiny Boy and Bolton Hall. That day the front three pulled nearly thirty lengths clear of their rivals and the first two have been placed subsequently. On official ratings Heebie Jeebie has something to find with some of these but I'd like to think she'll improve for the run; the tissue has her 8/1 - at that price you could back her each-way. Benayoun rates an obvious danger.

Easter Sunday is one of the two days when you have to pay to get in at Towcester. A decent show from Burton Port in the 2.55 at Haydock on Saturday will point to Busker Royal's chance in the 3.10, those horses having finished fourth and sixth respectively behind Big Eared Fran at Sandown recently. I marginally prefer Venetia Williams' Pterodactyl in this. There isn't much between Inaro and Rydal Park in the open hunters' chase at 4.40; last time I fancied course and distance winner Rydal Park to beat Back Nine but the selection fell at the tenth. One to note though is Sleep Bal who is rated some sixteen pounds higher than Rydal Park - he warrants close inspection.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Easter!

Uttoxeter and Plumpton cards

On paper the 2.50 at Uttoxeter looks between the J.P. McManus owned Levitski and the Evan Williams trained Warrior Drive. In their tissue shows on Saturday evening, both trade papers have Levistski an odds on shot while Warrior Drive is priced up at 3/1 and 4/1. On official handicap ratings Warrior Drive has two pounds in hand over Levitski and at those prices Warrior Drive looks worth an interest.

The two mile novice chase due off at 3.50 has some interesting entries. Likely favourite Ellerslie Tom was the best horse over hurdles but fell last time out and is passed over. I saw both Vivid Imagination and Presentandcorrect run two weeks ago at Stratford over two and a half miles. Presentandcorrect was disappointing on that occasion; the shorter trip may suit here but the yard is out of form. In contrast Vivid Imagination ran a decent race to finish third on his first outing since April 13th 2005. Dev and Karelian look unexposed while Sunley Shines can be given a squeak. A trappy affair - I'm prepared to take a chance with the Pipe stable's Vivid Imagination if he's allowed to take his chance. Whatever the outcome, the race will be worth noting for future reference.

In the 4.30 at Plumpton I'm interested in September Moon. This mare is not without ability but has previously demonstrated, when trained by Jonjo O'Neill, she has her own ideas about the game. A front runner, the form shown since the switch to her current yard has been consistent; recently her effort at Stratford in a higher class race was noteworthy. The Racing Post tissue makes her a 7/1 chance, The Sporting Life 14/1. With nine runners set to go to post, she looks worth an each way interest at 10/1 or bigger. By my calculations she has weight in hand over Hurlers Cross on a recent Fontwell running and the ground will suit; the three mile two furlong trip may pose a question.