Double dutch

2:05 Sandown – Handicap Chase (Class 2) (5yo+) Gd-sft

ALL STAR – Record at Sandown is – 6/19, 5/19, 17/20 (hurdles) and ¾ (Chase). Never been placed here over obstacles. Best form has come over 2 ½ miles and looks a bit high in the handicap at present from current mark of 128.

JERICHO III – Has worn blinkers for last 8 career wins. Major concern that they are left off today. This is the first time since April 2004 that he hasn’t worn some kind of head gear. Won a class 2 handicap in Dec 06 from today’s mark of 130 at Ascot. Trip and ground are fine and is on a winning mark, stable in form. He is at his best when allowed an uncontested lead and he is unlikely to get that today. Would definitely have a chance but the lack of headgear puts me off him.

BLEU SUPERBE – Made all last time to win a class 2 handicap at Ascot from 127. Only 3 l/b higher today. Has won 3 times from a mark of 132 so on a winnable mark. Can make mistakes with his jumping and fell in 2 of his last 4 runs. Also has a tendency to jump to his left although has a good record on R/H tracks. 13yo now and well into the veteran stage but still holding his form. No problem with trip, ground or track (placed twice in 4 runs here).

HASTY PRINCE – Very good course record, 4 runs = 2 wins and 1 x 2nd. Loves gd-sft ground and has won 2/8 on this surface and been place 3/8 on this ground. Has won in January before. Has the best form in the line up. Hasn’t won a race since April 06 though has ran some very big races in defeat. His last win did come the last time he raced at Sandown. Has ran below form last two runs especially last time when he ran really flat. Stable form has been awful though and there are signs that the stable is coming back to form as they have had a few winners recently. Still has to be a worry about stable form though as most are still running poorly. If he is at his best then he is the horse to beat and I think he would have been favourite if it wasn’t for the poor run last time.

EL VAQUERO – Best form has come over longer trips, likely to be outpaced at this trip. Hard to fancy.

MASTER MINDED – Comes from the all conquering Paul Nicholls yard. Fell on his UK debut last time at Exeter and has fallen in 3 of his last 5 races. Undoubtedly possesses ability and is well regarded but not one to be taking a short price about, though no surprise were he to prove good enough.

CALATAGAN – Won a class 2 handicap chase off 140 last time at Wetherby on gd-sft and is only 5 l/b higher today. This is his trip and he likes the ground and is in form. Has won at a R/H testing track before so no problem with going this way round. Jockey T J Dreaper has won on him 5/14 times and been placed twice on him. This is a lifetime high mark today off 145 and he was beaten in his last 4 runs from 142 so the handicapper may just have him in his grip now, also very best form has come at Wetherby.

HOWLE HILL – Won all 3 chases, including last time on his seasonal debut from a mark of 138 at Ascot over 2m 3f. Raised 8 l/b to a mark of 146 today. No problem with the drop in trip. 4 of his 5 career wins came on good ground and although he did win one race on gd-sft has been unplaced on his last 3 runs on this ground. Top trainer has a very poor record with chasers at Sandown – 0 from 17 in the last 5 years.

Overview:
I am not keen on the front two in the market from the big stables, Master Minded has ability but also has jumping issues and that puts me right off him, Alan Kings record with chasers at Sandown is making me against Howle Hill from a lifetime high mark on this ground. Jericho III running without blinkers and unlikely to get an uncontested lead makes him of no interest to me, Calatagans best form has come at Wetherby and he is racing off a lifetime high mark today and looks too high in the handicap, El Vaquero needs a longer trip. All Star is better over further and looks high in the handicap. I am going for a win and place back of both Bleu Superb and Hasty Prince, I think Hasty Prince would have been fav for this if you ignore his last run (coincided with stable runners being badly out of form), the O’Neil yard appears to be running back into form and they are having winners again and at the price I have to get involved with this horse with the champ on board, Castle Crossings has just confirmed that the stable is coming back to form in the 12:15 chepstow as he has just hacked up on the bridle following on from yesterdays winner. Bleu Superbe is on a winning mark and conditions are ideal, he is the outsider of the field but I think he has a good chance today and don’t see how he is such a big price. It is a very competitive race but I think we have a good chance of landing this bet and walking away with a good profit.

Advised Bet:

1pnt Win and Place – HASTY PRINCE @ 10.5 & 2.74
1pnt Win and Place – BLEU SUPERBE @ 24.0 & 5.0

RESULT: http://horses.sportinglife.com/Full_Results/0,12493,251823,00.html

We staked 4 points and got 2.74 of them back, so we lost 1.26 pnts on the race in total. Hasty Prince ran a good race in 2nd pulling clear of the rest of the field but the best trainer of NH horses in the world Paul Nicholls got the better of us and Master Minded won nicely and looks a good horse. The outsider of the field Bleu Superbe ran a fair race in 5th place and was looking good when still in the lead with 3 fences to go, but after clouting a few fences it took its toll and he dropped away. As ever I'm happy with my reading of the race even when Im wrong.