January 07 / 13.15 Sandown

13.15

Soft

Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £8324.8
  • 2m 4f 10y
  • Class 3
  • 8 runners
ITV
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Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Handicap Chase

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £10.10
  • Place: £2.00

Form: 241-B1

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 11lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Signed off last season with a win at Kempton (3m, good) despite his jumping lacking fluency; left well clear two out in a very foggy four-finisher race at Wincanton (3m1f, good to soft) five weeks ago, which isn't that easy to assess (he's gone up 5lb since) and there's more to prove on soft, but he's had only five chases and may therefore have more to offer.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price
No Results Found
OUR TIP

2/1

  • Place: £1.50

Form: 232-21 D

Last run: 39 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Ended his run of places in British handicap chases when justifying favouritism in good style from the front at Southwell (2m4f, good) latest; 10lb higher today and peak efforts have been on good or good to soft; trainer has a 24% strike-rate (10-42) in Sandown chases over the last five seasons.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

18th

17

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Gemirande

10st 11lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Won good handicaps at Ascot (2m5f, good) and Cheltenham (2m4f, good to soft) towards the end of last year; a case can be made on that form but three lesser runs have followed and he needs to get back on track.

50/1

18th

17

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Gemirande

10st 11lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Won good handicaps at Ascot (2m5f, good) and Cheltenham (2m4f, good to soft) towards the end of last year; a case can be made on that form but three lesser runs have followed and he needs to get back on track.

50/1

17th

10

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

16:40 Cheltenham

Gemirande

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Found a new level of form in late 2024 with wins at Ascot (2m5f, good) and over C&D (good to soft); disappointing here next time but he was still going well when nearly down three out over C&D in January and the 6lb higher mark than for his latest win may not be beyond him; considered for yard that's won this race three times.

12/1

9/1

  • Place: £2.30

Form: 2211-4 D

Last run: 58 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Progressed very well as a novice last term, rounding it off with two wide-margin wins in small fields; 3m might have contributed to a heavy defeat in Listed event in November; placed on soft and heavy going as a hurdler; no shock if she bounces back with a bold show today for in-form stable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

24th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 6f 93y

Class 3

15:40 Newbury

Precious Eleanor

11st 13lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Henry Daly

All three wins at 2m4f-2m5f (good/good to soft); very creditable third in a strong Cheltenham handicap two starts ago (2m4f, soft) but disappointing she didn't do better when conditions should have suited at Warwick since (has run two of her better races there); questioned after that.

4/1

5th

9

24th Feb 2023

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 3

15:00 Warwick

Precious Eleanor

11st 0lb

J: Richard Patrick

T: Henry Daly

All wins on good/good to soft; her recent thirds were fairly remote but in good 2m4f handicaps at Sandown/Cheltenham on soft ground that wouldn't have been absolutely ideal; needs considering.

11/2

3rd

16

28th Jan 2023

Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

13:50 Cheltenham

Precious Eleanor

10st 2lb

J: Tom O’Brien

T: Henry Daly

All wins on good/good to soft, the most recent in mares' handicap over C&D last April; soft ground wasn't ideal at Sandown (well-held third) three weeks ago; could go well granted suitable conditions.

20/1

11/2

Form: 2331-3

Last run: 85 days

W: 11st 13lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 129

Form & Verdict
Showed plenty in novice hurdles last season, most notably when third in Grade 2 event at Warwick (2m5f, soft) in January; has some Irish pointing experience and made a satisfactory chase debut when third of five, making most, in handicap at Uttoxeter in October; should build on that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

6th Oct 2024

Good

3m 2f 39y

Class 4

15:15 Kelso

Scipion

11st 4lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

in rear

10/1

4th

5

26th Aug 2024

Soft

3m 1f 107y

Class 3

16:40 Cartmel

Scipion

10st 3lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Useful hurdler/chaser when with Tom Lacey but had very disappointing five-race spell with Stuart Coltherd last season and was tailed off behind Tommie Beau over hurdles here on stable debut in May; can cope with slow ground but needs combination of wind surgery and refitted tongue-tie to make a big difference.

12/1

11th

10

27th May 2024

Good To Soft

3m 1f 83y

Class 2

14:55 Cartmel

Scipion

10st 9lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

led early, headed but prominent before 2nd

16/1

Form: P-1383 D

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 7lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Front-runner; sent chasing for last two starts, given wind surgery in between; respectable third at Catterick (3m1f, soft) last time but needs to build on that, with tongue tied for the first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

26th Dec 2023

Soft

3m 1f 166y

Class 4

15:27 Fontwell

High Stakes

11st 11lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: Warren Greatrex

Bumper and 2m7f hurdle winner (good to soft); has been unable to kick on over fences; returned to hurdles for reappearance at Cheltenham (2m5f, good to soft) latest, when creditable fifth; more needed.

6/1

5th

15

17th Nov 2023

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 3

13:10 Cheltenham

High Stakes

11st 4lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: Warren Greatrex

Useful form as a novice hurdler but lost his way last season, predominantly over fences; now has to prove he can turn the tide.

25/1

Form: 115-5F C BF

Last run: 8 days

W: 11st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Never a threat when beaten 23l on chase debut at Carlisle and he fell at the seventh at Haydock (well-backed favourite) eight days ago; something to prove after that but his best form as a novice hurdler last term came in his two runs over 2m4f at this track, including on soft when fifth in the EBF Final.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

2nd Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 60y

Class 4

14:30 Southwell

Peejaybee

11st 13lb

J: James Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Defied a virtually identical absence to today's at Perth this time last year (good); inconsistent when last seen, however, and over three and a half years since he last lowered a mark in the 120s.

6/1

1

15th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 4

14:50 Perth

Peejaybee

12st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Course winner here last September (2m4f, good); back to winning ways last time at Ffos Las (3m, good to soft); interesting contender off this 5lb higher mark.

2/1

1

15th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 4

14:50 Perth

Peejaybee

12st 1lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Mickey Bowen

Course winner here last September (2m4f, good); back to winning ways last time at Ffos Las (3m, good to soft); interesting contender off this 5lb higher mark.

2/1

Form: 4U422- D

Last run: 264 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Won chase debut at Lingfield (2m4f, soft) in October 2021 by 19l after six-month break; some minor honours since, runner-up in a couple of four-runner races when last seen in April; return from another layoff today boosts interest in him, as does his return to that last winning mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

14th Feb 2025

Good

3m 0f 38y

Class 5

16:40 Fakenham

Sopran Thor

12st 2lb

J: Mr Archie Loweth

T: John Whyte

Had some good form when with Gary Moore but clearly a declining force and recent point exploits don't bode well.

66/1

3

4th Jun 2023

Good

2m 5f 44y

Class 3

16:30 Fakenham

Sopran Thor

11st 6lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Louise Allan

Left alone to win selling handicap chase over C&D in April on final run for Gary Moore; however, he was in rear when unseating mid-race at Warwick on his stable debut then finished down the field at Plumpton last time.

14/1

Form: 4/P-P7 C

Last run: 36 days

W: 11st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Landed a five-timer in 2020-21 (2m-2m3f, soft/heavy) and the fourth of those wins came at this track; however, tailed off here on his final outing that season and remained well out of form in his three starts last year, seemingly reluctant to race here on latest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

6th Mar 2024

Soft

3m 1f 54y

Class 5

16:45 Catterick

High Up In The Air

11st 12lb

J: Mr Jack Power

T: T W Fife

Posted handicap chase five-timer in 2020-21 but has shown very little since and a dramatic turnaround is needed.

33/1

0

5

1st Jan 2024

Soft

1m 7f 156y

Class 5

13:20 Catterick

High Up In The Air

11st 9lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Philip Kirby

Got up to a rating of 126 after winning four handicap chases on the bounce at up to 2m3f (all on soft or heavy) for Gary Moore two seasons ago; has been rather disappointing since but reverts to hurdles on a very good mark.

9/1

0

1

26th Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 65y

Class 4

14:35 Sedgefield

High Up In The Air

11st 10lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Philip Kirby

didn't always jump with fluency, 6 lengths down and pushed along when stumbled badly and unseated 4 out

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £35.70
Straight Forecast £36.25
Tricast £250.99
Trifecta £164.10

Selections

Telegraph:

Gemirande

SPOTLIGHT:

Sopran Thor

The Times:

Scipion

POSTDATA:

High Stakes

Daily Mail:

Peejaybee

TOPSPEED:

Certainly Red

D Express:

Scipion

The Guardian:

Gemirande

Daily Mirror:

Gemirande

The Sun:

Gemirande

Daily Record:

Gemirande

RP Ratings:

Sopran Thor

The Star:

Sopran Thor

LAMBOURN:

High Stakes