16:40 Sandown

Saturday 28 April 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:0516:4017:15

bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:43 | Winning time: 5m 20.22s

Geordie Des Champs³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: N P Madden| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 145| D

5/1

Bidding to complete a hat-trick following wins in four runner contests at Taunton (soft) and last time out over 3m1f at Hereford (soft). One to note dropping in trip.

Form: 630-411

Midnight Shot¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Paul O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 144| D

9/1

Struggled in two starts in Grade 3 company since finishing 12L third at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) in October. Interesting to see how he fares dropping in grade.

Form: 05138P

Solighoster⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 143

20/1

Winner of a match race at Warwick (3m, soft) in February but well beaten at Uttoxeter (3m, heavy) subsequently. More needed in this contest.

Form: 5-13P15

Markov⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: B Pauling| OR: 142

16/1

Point-to-point winner and winner of his first two starts over fences. Failed to complete the last twice however and pulled up at Chelteham (soft) last time.

Form: 43-11FP

Deauville Dancer^t¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: David Dennis| OR: 141| D

25/1

Dual winner over fences in the autumn and ran well when 5L fourth of five at Kempton (2m, soft) last month. Well beaten over the Grand National fences last time.

Form: 111940

Monbeg Charmer^h,t⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 139| D

10/1

Ludlow handicap chase winner over 3m on good ground in November and finished a decent third there subsequently. Drops in grade having been pulled up in a Grade 3 at Kempton (3m, good) last time.

Form: 1P-413P

Rayvin Black^p¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Garner⁽³⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 139| C| D

12/1

Made all when justifying odds-on favouritism in a novice chase at Wincanton (2m4f, heavy) last time out. Previously finished well beaten in a handicap contest and interesting to see how he fares in this.

Form: 72U131

War Sound²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 139| BF

9/4

Finished runner-up on four of his seven starts over fences including at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) last time out. Races off a 2lb higher mark here and is of interest once more.

Form: 223422

Stynes^p,t³⁰⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 134

20/1

Successful twice from three starts over fences with the most recent of those coming over an extended 1m7f at Southwell (good) in June last year. Handles soft ground and is returning from a break in this.

Form: 414-121

Ramonex⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen⁽³⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 133

14/1

Beaten a neck over an extended 2m5f at Kelso (soft) in January but struggled at Ayr last weekend on his first outing since. Cheekpieces worn that day are dispensed with here.

Form: 253120

Silverhow²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 130| C| D

9/2

Broke his maiden over fences when winning a four runner contest at Wincanton (2m4f, heavy) in February. Decent efforts in defeat the last twice and receives weight from all his rivals on this occasion.

Form: F42123

Forecasts

War Sound (9/4), Silverhow (9/2), Geordie Des Champs (5/1), Midnight Shot (9/1), Monbeg Charmer (10/1), Rayvin Black (12/1), Ramonex (14/1), Markov (16/1), Stynes (20/1), Solighoster (20/1), Deauville Dancer (25/1)

WAR SOUND can record his first victory over fences by taking this competitive looking novices' handicap contest. Trainer Philip Hobbs is in good form at present (9/49) and his charge is taken to get the better of top weight Geordie Des Champs who was a winner over further last time out. Stynes was in good form when last seen in action and he is taken to finish third on his first start of 2018.