15:00 Sandown

Saturday 11 March 2017

All13:2013:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

Matchbook Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 4m 5.1s

Fixe Le Kap³⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138

5/1

Ran to a decent level of form in France and successful on his first two outings for this stable last season. Beaten odds-on favourite when a close second to the classy Frodon at Haydock subsequently and well beaten in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham 12 months ago when last seen. Likely to be fit for his return and a leading contender here.

Form: 41128-2

Kayf Blanco^h1,t1²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 135

7/1

Dual soft ground winner earlier in his career and ran well over C&D behind Champion Hurdle contender Brain Power in December. Suffered two defeats since including in a valuable race at Newbury last time out and vulnerable to one or two less exposed horses here.

Form: 43458-2

William H Bonney²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 134

11/2

Winner at Cheltenham on his penultimate start but well beaten when carrying a penalty at Newbury subsequently. Races off a 2lb higher mark than for that Cheltenham success and of interest in just his third handicap outing.

Form: 10/8107-

Bigmartre⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J McGrath| T: H Whittington| OR: 134

16/1

Kempton winner on his seasonal debut but well beaten behind William H Bonney off a 3lb higher mark at Cheltenham subsequently. Interesting to see how he fares off a mark just 1lb higher than for the Kempton victory.

Form: 1433-18

Gassin Golf^p,t²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: R Patrick⁽⁷⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 133

8/1

Raced keenly in tongue tie and blinkers prior to falling early on at Newbury last month. No win since victorious at that track off a 2lb higher mark in March 2015 and cheekpieces replace the blinkers for this.

Form: 5P/25F0-

Max Do Brazil^t1⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 128

14/1

Placed in a couple of competitive handicaps in France for previous stable but disappointed when pulled up behind William H Bonney at Cheltenham on debut for this yard. Cost connections £160,000 in December and remains of interest in a first time tongue tie.

Form: 4832PP-

London Prize²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 128

10/1

Finished runner-up in a valuable Flat handicap at Newcastle when last seen out a month ago. Prior to that had been travelling well enough before falling at Musselburgh in a Listed handicap and he remains unexposed over hurdles though any rain would likely hinder his chances.

Form: 312F17-

Spice Fair⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr Zac Baker⁽⁷⁾| T: M D I Usher| OR: 127

20/1

Consistent sort who finished runner-up at Newbury earlier this month. Hasn't raced over this trip over hurdles since finishing third in this contest in 2016 and races off a 3lb lower mark here with a useful amateur jockey taking an additional 7lb off.

Form: 1323-54

Prairie Town^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 127

40/1

Runner-up in a three runner novice chase at Market Rasen last month and filled the same berth at Sedgefield previously. Most recent hurdles efforts have been disappointing however and interesting to see if cheekpieces (tried with no success once on the Flat) work here.

Form: 9/92772

Disputed^h⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 125

10/1

Finished in the first three in six of his last eight outings including when runner-up in a four runner affair at Lingfield earlier this week. Last win came off a 7lb lower mark at Plumpton 12 months ago but yard are in flying form at present with a 43% strike rate (6/14) in recent times.

Form: 1-72433

Darebin^v¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 123

25/1

Has been racing on the Flat of ate winning a 1m4f maiden by a neck at Kempton on his penultimate outing and beaten a head in handicap company next time out. Winner off a 6lb lower mark in first time blinkers at Lingfield in November and visor (worn once previously) replaces them here.

Form: 5320-61

Chieftain's Choice²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Frost| OR: 121

10/1

Winner off a 7lb lower mark over C&D last month to register his first success since November 2014. Has been running consistently well this year and still well in on old form but this looks much tougher than his recent assignments.

Form: 42192-2

Not Another Muddle²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 120

6/1

Winner of a Fontwell novice hurdle over 2m3f in January but drop in trip seemed to find him out when runner-up at that rack subsequently. Interesting that he tackles his first handicap in this and has a top jockey (on board for Fontwell success) in the saddle here.

Form: 2-

Forecasts

Fixe Le Kap (5/1), William H Bonney (11/2), Not Another Muddle (6/1), Kayf Blanco (7/1), Gassin Golf (8/1), London Prize (10/1), Chieftain's Choice (10/1), Disputed (10/1), Max Do Brazil (14/1), Bigmartre (16/1), Spice Fair (20/1), Darebin (25/1), Prairie Town (40/1)

FIXE LE CAP can take this valuable handicap under top weight on his first outing since finishing eighth at Cheltenham nearly a year ago here. The selection finished runner-up to a classy rival off level weights at Haydock 13 months ago and still holds an entry in the conditional jockeys race at Cheltenham this year, he is taken to get the better of January's Cheltenham victor William H Bonney with the unexposed London Prize taken to finish in third with last years third Spice Fair another to take note of here.