Sport : Horse Racing

Racecard

Sandown Park - Sat 28th Apr 2012
13:30 14:00 14:35 15:10 15:45 16:15 16:50 17:20

14:00 bet365 Handicap Hurdle2m 3f 110y
Weighed In - (Class 2), £25,000 added, 4yo+, 17 runners
Winner £15,640 2nd £4,620 3rd £2,310 4th £1,155
Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places Surface: Turf
TV Sepcials - Tom Scudamore to ride a TV Double - 66/1

Result
Full result

Weighed In
Winning time: 5m 10.40s
Off time: 14:05:23

Pos	Horse	Odds
1st	Gibb River (IRE)	11/1
2nd	Arab League (IRE)	16/1
3rd	Act Of Kalanisi (IRE)	16/1
4th	Big Easy (GER)	10/1

No	Form	Horse	A	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer	OR	SP
1	10-3023	Gibb River (IRE) 14	6	11-12	Jeremiah McGrath (5)	N J Henderson	144	11/1
2	20-2112	Tour D'argent (FR) 15	5	11-8	David Bass	N J Henderson	140	8/1
3	541173	Big Easy (GER) 10	5	11-4	R Johnson	P J Hobbs	136	10/1
4	81/01B0	Star of Angels 16	8	11-4 b	T Scudamore	D Pipe	136	9/1
5	132190	Bourne 15	6	11-3	J M Maguire	D McCain Jnr	135	10/1
6	312-15	Cedre Bleu (FR) 71	5	11-3	D A Jacob	P F Nicholls	135	16/1
7	134101	Arab League (IRE) 31	7	11-2 p	F J Hayes (10)	D Pipe	134	16/1
8	1-36300	Act Of Kalanisi (IRE) 15	6	11-2 t1	Brendan Powell (5)	Dr R D P Newland	134	16/1
9	326050	Art Professor (IRE) 15	8	10-12 b	Aidan Coleman	Miss V Williams	130	16/1
10	173424	Harry Hunt 42	5	10-11	T Molloy (3)	G McPherson	129	20/1
11	121763	Bar De Ligne (FR) 8	6	10-10	Nick Scholfield	S Gollings	128	10/1
12	1-65611	Sircozy (IRE) 19	6	10-10 b	Joshua Moore (5)	G L Moore	128	20/1
13	137-026	The Pier (IRE) 10	6	10-9	C O'Farrell	D Pipe	127	7/1
14	4303-80	Monetary Fund (USA) 49	6	10-7	S Thomas	Miss V Williams	125	50/1
15	3-P3P13	Top Smart 21	6	10-2	D Elsworth	J W Mullins	120	10/1
16	1/62F21	Hellfire Club 35	9	10-0 t	P J Brennan	W Greatrex	118	25/1
17	3-79212	Headly's Bridge (IRE) 14	6	10-0	Gerard Tumelty	Simon Earle	117	14/1

Verdict

Another really tough handicap in which a couple of the top yards have multiple entries. Top weight Gibb River was third over 2m at Aintree but Tour D'Argent, just beaten over this trip at the same meeting, looks the pick of Nicky Henderson's pair. David Pipe saddles three and The Pier must be interesting as he still showed signs of inexperience when sixth to Pateese at Cheltenham 10 days ago. He can reverse January's Wincanton running with stablemate Star Of Angels. Big Easy looks high enough in the weights now, however, and Cedre Bleu hasn't raced over hurdles for more than a year while Bourne has gone off the boil since winning at Ascot in February. TOP SMART was a real eye-catcher when third to Hada Men at Haydock last time, giving the impression a return to a stiffer track would be to his benefit. He's already a C&D winner this season and, proven on soft ground, gets the vote today.

Formwatch

Gibb River (IRE) 16-1 (11-2) Towards rear, pushed along after 3rd, ridden and headway 2 out, kept on to take 3rd towards finish, 3rd of 21, 3 1/2l behind Lifestyle (11-2) at Aintree 2m cond hcp hdl (2) gd.

Tour D'argent (FR) 8-1 (10-13) Mid-division, headway before 3 out, challenged 2 out, every chance last, kept on and held final 150 yards, 2nd of 21, 1 3/4l behind Attaglance (11-12) at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd.

Big Easy (GER) 8-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, not fluent 7th, ridden approaching 2 out, stayed on same pace flat, 3rd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Captain Sunshine (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m 4f nh nov hdl (2) gs.

Star of Angels 16-1 (10-12) Mid-division, headway 4 out, effort next, soon one pace, weakened before last, 11th of 21, 42l behind Cape Tribulation (11-12) at Aintree 3m hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) gs.

Bourne 7-1 (11-3) Mid-division, lost place from 5th, soon in rear, tailed off 4 out, 18th of 21, well behind Attaglance (11-12) at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd.

Cedre Bleu (FR) 7-1 (11-2) Held up, headway 12th, lost place 12th, struggling after, 5th of 7, 22l behind For Non Stop (11-4) at Newbury 2m 4f nov chs G1 (1) gs in Feb.

Arab League (IRE) 2-9fav (11-5) Led until 4th, disputed lead until led again 3 out, drew clear next, very easily, won at Taunton 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) fm in Mar beating Oscar Sierra (11-8) by 28l, 3 ran.

Act Of Kalanisi (IRE) 20-1 (10-12) Chased leader, weakened before 3 out, 17th of 21, well behind Attaglance (11-12) at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd.

Art Professor (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, ridden before 3 out, soon weakened, 15th of 21, well behind Attaglance (11-12) at Aintree 2m 4f Listed hcp hdl (1) gd.

Harry Hunt 16-1 (11-6) Held up in mid-division, headway after 5th, stayed on same pace approaching last, 4th of 15, 10l behind Volador (11-8) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs in Mar.

Bar De Ligne (FR) 8-1 (11-10) Held up behind, headway before 3 out, soon left 2nd, kept on and no impression before last, lost 2nd place near finish, 3rd of 10, 5l behind Malin Bay (10-11) at Ayr 3m nov hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gd.

Sircozy (IRE) 6-1 (11-2) Led, jumped right, headed fifth, kept on, no chance with winner, won at Plumpton 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft beating Marie Deja La (10-5) by 5l, 7 ran.

The Pier (IRE) 9-2 (10-9) Mid-division, took keen hold, headway 3rd, went 2nd before 5th, led after 3 out, wandered before going right 2 out, ridden and headed approaching last, weakened final 100 yards, 6th of 10, 6l behind Pateese (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) gs.

Monetary Fund (USA) 100-1 (10-1) Chased leaders, hit 4th, quickly weakened, 23rd of 24, well behind Paintball (10-7) at Sandown 2m lst hcp hdl (0-150) (1) gs in Mar.

Top Smart 10-1 (10-5) In rear, ridden after 7th, stayed on well from 2 out, finished well to take 3rd closing stages, 3rd of 20, 5l behind Hada Men (10-8) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) gd.

Hellfire Club 3-1 (11-3) Led until 2nd, tracked leaders, mistake 5th, jumped left and led from 3 out, clear last, ridden out, won at Newbury 2m 1f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Mar beating Marodima (11-12) by 4 1/2l, 7 ran.

Headly's Bridge (IRE) 5-1fav (11-10) Held up in rear, steady headway after 4 out, went 3rd before last, stayed on to 2nd final 110 yards, no chance with unchallenged winner, 2nd of 15, 5l behind Granville Island (11-6) at Chepstow 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs.