15:40 Sandown

Friday 8 March 2019

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

Grand Military Gold Cup (Chase For Military Amateur Riders)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 6m 32.72s

Rathlin Rose^b²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 12-10| J: Mr G Disney⁽⁷⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 128| CD

13/2

Specialist in such races won Castel Royal Artillery Gold Cup twice but fell when still in contention latest in bid for hat-trick. Second in this race also last year off same mark so bold bid assured.

Form: 1FP-40U

Carlos Du Fruitier^b²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-5| J: Lt W Aprahamian⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 128| CD

5/2

Battled to success in C&d Castel Royal Artillery Gold Cup latest where Rathlin Rose fell two out. Different jockey today but conditions similar and hard to envisage anything other than him going very close once more.

Form: P33321

Holly Bush Henry^p,t⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-5| J: Mr S R Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 130| C| D

10/1

Back over hurdles the last twice after a largely uninspired campaign over fences but made little impact with two lasts at Warwick. Of little appeal now.

Form: 962P09

Le Reve^b¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-5| J: Bdr Jody Sole⁽³⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 130| CD

7/2

Three-time course winner ran two quite ordinary races here before surprising 20/1 success at Lingfield latest (3m5f). Upped 5lb for that and back in trip now but not totally ruled out.

Form: 9P/38P1

Pete The Feat^t⁶²

Age: 15| Weight: 12-5| J: Major Harry Wallace⁽⁷⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 130| CD

14/1

Remarkable old veteran surely about the oldest horse in training. Ran sound race here two back before pulling up latest. Would be one of the most memorable wins of the season but hard to see it.

Form: 2P1-73P

A Tail Of Intrigue²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Max Chenery⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Joanne Priest| OR: 101| D

50/1

66/1 odds latest representative of spell in the wilderness but ran really well to be fourth to Carlos Du Fruitier over C&D. No obvious reason however to turn the tables.

Form: PP-1464

Cabragh^p,t1²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr C J D Rawdon-Mogg⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Mann| OR: 102| D

100/1

Handicap tumbling but was 50/1 latest behind Carlos Du Fruitier when unseating at the third. Expect similar odds here.

Form: 8-5765U

Keltus^t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Maj Charlie O'Shea⁽⁷⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 125| D

9/1

Good third to Carlos Du Fruitier latest considering 439 day absence going into the race. 8¾L to find then now but surely can strip fitter and expect him to get a good deal closer now.

Form: 9/2062-3

Mr Mercurial^t²²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr W B Ramsay⁽⁷⁾| T: Capt W B Ramsay| OR: 130| D

6/1

Won three hunter chases last spring before reappearance second to smart Shantou Flyer in similar contest. Top rated runner in the field so very realistic chances especially receiving weight from top two.

Form: P311-12

Royal Palladium^b1⁹²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Pte Alexandra Bell⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 115| D

25/1

Not won since 2016 and form this season a fall at Exeter and a tailed off at Wincanton. Hard to be confident even in first-time blinkers.

Form: 6/3PP-F9

Sentimentaljourney¹²

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Nathan Rahman⁽⁷⁾| T: R Varnham| OR: 92| D

150/1

Winner of two point-to-points last season but pulled up in a competitive hunter chase over an extended 3m2f at Cheltenham (good) in May and tailed off at Ludlow last month. Others preferred.

Form: 616-P56

Spanish Arch^t⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Lt Cdr Vicki Sollitt⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Victoria Sollitt| OR: 95| D

150/1

Well behind Rathlin Rose in two similar races last year including ninth in this. Won a point since but hard to see him not struggling here.

Form: 5491-48

Vieux Lille^p,t⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Maj Will Kellard⁽⁷⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 120

20/1

Peak form of 2016-17 season when with Philip Hobbs would give him a real chance but seemed in decline since. Unfortunate to unseat latest when rein snapped but earlier well beaten at Newbury.

Form: 645P-7U

Forecasts

Carlos Du Fruitier (5/2), Le Reve (7/2), Mr Mercurial (6/1), Rathlin Rose (13/2), Keltus (9/1), Holly Bush Henry (10/1), Pete The Feat (14/1), Vieux Lille (20/1), Royal Palladium (25/1), A Tail Of Intrigue (50/1), Cabragh (100/1), Spanish Arch (150/1), Sentimentaljourney (150/1)

CARLOS DU FRUITIER took really well to his first attempt in such a race when winning the C&D Castel Royal Artillery Gold Cup latest, a race which sees him hold sway over a whole host of these. Mr Mercurial is an interesting contender with his hunter chase form looking plenty good enough to see him have a say whilst popular military specialist Rathlin Rose can not be dismissed by any means.