14:30 Sandown

Friday 9 March 2018

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1016:45

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Memorial Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 4m 9.6s

Lord Marmaduke⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-5| J: Lt W Aprahamian⁽⁷⁾| T: P R Webber| OR: 116

8/1

Makes his handicap debut here having shown some ability especially in his two most recent maiden/novice hurdles. Shoulders a big weight here but rider claims 7lb and not ruled out.

Form: 634

No Hiding Place²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr Domenico D'alo| T: N J Henderson| OR: 115

9/2

Showed marked improvement for the switch to handicap company at Kempton last time when finishing a fairly close second. Up 3lb and every chance he can progress again for last year's winning trainer/jockey combination.

Form: 3-24482

Scrafton⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Mr G Disney⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 112| D

7/1

Previous winner of a novice hurdle but has mostly been racing on the Flat recently. Well held on stable debut at Doncaster latest, and his rider has a better record over fences.

Form: 22312/9

Skinflint²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Nathan Rahman⁽⁷⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 110

11/1

Point-to-point runner-up who is yet to show too much in three starts over hurdles. Likely to make a chaser in time but could improve for the switch to handicaps.

Form: 2/P86

Stolberg^p²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr S R Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: D L Williams| OR: 107| D

16/1

A winner at Lingfield two starts back, but needs heavy ground (and preferably further) to be seen at his best, so others make more appeal.

Form: 007F1P

Ratify²⁹

Age: 14| Weight: 11-5| J: Miss Sally Randell⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 102

9/2

More than twice the age of many of these and finished last of all when last seen over hurdles but has been in good form over fences recently. On a very lenient mark if transferring that form here.

Form: 30-P141

Briac²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Bdr Jody Sole⁽³⁾| T: M Pattinson| OR: 100| CD

7/2

C&D winner last time out and has been raised 6lb as a result. Hasn't won off a mark this high, but has run well and no doubt that he could put in an accomplished performance again.

Form: 20-4651

Kastani Beach^v³⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Lt Col Erica Bridge⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 91| CD

4/1

C&D winner in March 2015, but that was his last win and he's had plenty of chances to get his head back in front since. Improvement needed on recent Plumpton fourth in a tougher race (down 2lb).

Form: 684254

Forecasts

Briac (7/2), Kastani Beach (4/1), Ratify (9/2), No Hiding Place (9/2), Scrafton (7/1), Lord Marmaduke (8/1), Skinflint (11/1), Stolberg (16/1)

Ratify would be absolutely thrown in on his recent chase form if he didn't have a poor record over hurdles, while recent C&D winner Briac has something to prove off this mark but should still run well. Meanwhile NO HIDING PLACE represents a leading trainer in Nicky Henderson and though he has more weight to carry today than his recent Kempton second he looks the progressive option in the field and could be the one to side with.