16:40 Sandown

Saturday 27 April 2019

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4017:15

bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:42 | Winning time: 5m 6.40s

Larry^t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 140| CD

10/3

Overcame some shoddy early fencing when beating Darius Des Bois by 7L over C&D in January (good to soft); high enough in the weights now, although in fairness he was only beaten a neck off a 3lb lower perch at Newbury 36-days ago.

Form: 1-4F142

Militarian⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: J Martin⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 140| D

40/1

Three-time winner this season (2m-2m7f); has came up well short more latterly, including when finishing last of three in the Sussex Champion Chase (2m4f) at Plumpton on Monday.

Form: 141P63

Good Man Pat⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 139| D

4/1

Possibly a fortuitous odds-on scorer in a three-runner affair at Plumpton (2m4f, soft) in February; moderate since; surprising if he's the solution (prefers plenty of cut) from a 3lb higher mark.

Form: 1P-313P

Psychedelic Rock^p¹²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: W T Kennedy| T: Ian Williams| OR: 138| D

25/1

Shaped reasonably on chasing debut at Ludlow (2m4f, good) in November despite never troubling the useful winner Thomas Campbell; broke his duck in a fairly eventful affair back there the following month (2m4f, soft); off since.

Form: 241421

El Terremoto⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 138

25/1

Has some reasonable chasing form on flat tracks (Southwell and Kelso), but equally one can't help worry somewhat about his fencing technique with a couple of falls also featuring prominently on his CV.

Form: 12FF28

Diable De Sivola³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: L P Aspell| T: Nick Williams| OR: 137| BF

9/2

Still a maiden over fences (0-5) and hasn't won since his hurdles debut at Uttoxeter in July 2016, but is most definitely progressing over the larger obstacles; beaten 1L by Saintemillion at Exeter (2m3f) 34-days ago; now rated 4lb higher.

Form: 0-45322

Royal Village^p¹⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: Ian Williams| OR: 134| D

14/1

4lb higher than when beating Play The Ace by in excess of 3L at Market Rasen (2m5f, good) in the autumn of 2018; scarcely seen since, presumably waiting for this race and a sound racing surface; Richard Johnson booked.

Form: 133413

Molineaux^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: S Bowen| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 132| D

11/2

January Wincanton scorer (2m4f, good); soundly beaten by today's rival Huntsman Son at Newbury in March, and didn't exactly set the world alight in the Red Rum Handicap Chase (2m) at Aintree either; vulnerable.

Form: 5U1236

Zalvados^b,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 128| BF

14/1

Difficult to win with - has finished second on four of his six starts over the larger obstacles, including when cajoled along by Paddy Brennan, and beaten a neck by Paddy's Poem at Huntingdon (2m+, good) just over two-weeks ago.

Form: 322272

Bandsman^p,t1³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 123| DWS

8/1

Turned in lousy efforts returning from a break at Kempton (2m4f) and over C&D; runner-up over 2m at Warwick latest (don't be fooled - beaten 22L); all hopes are pinned on wind surgery and a newly-applied tongue-tie sparking a revival.

Form: 1328P2

Gone Platinum^t¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: D A Rees| OR: 120| D

11/1

Done nothing but progress since kicking off 2019 with a shock 25/1 win; has mixed hurdling with chasing more latterly; seeks the hat-trick off a 7lb higher mark for his ready Bangor win (2m4f) a fortnight ago; stronger contest.

Form: 124411

Non-Runners

Huntsman Son⁴⁶

Weight: 11-12| Age: 9

T: A M Hales J: Kielan Woods

Aintree My Dream¹³

Weight: 11-9| Age: 9

T: M F Harris J: Kevin Jones

Didero Vallis⁴⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: Miss V Williams J: Charlie Deutsch

Forecasts

Larry (10/3), Good Man Pat (4/1), Diable De Sivola (9/2), Molineaux (11/2), Didero Vallis (13/2), Aintree My Dream (15/2), Bandsman (8/1), Gone Platinum (11/1), Huntsman Son (12/1), Royal Village (14/1), Zalvados (14/1), El Terremoto (25/1), Psychedelic Rock (25/1), Militarian (40/1)

In a word (or two), ultra-competitive. Therefore, we'll opt to take a couple against the field with DIABLE DE SIVOLA narrowly preferred to Didero Vallis. The selection remains a maiden over fences but is most definitely progressing with experience, running a solid race behind the Paul Nicholls-trained Saintemillion at Exeter 34-days ago. The alternative choice would at first glance appear to be better suited by soft ground, but scouring further back to his Irish hurdling days, there's no disputing that he's also effective on good ground. Venetia Williams has done extremely well with her first season recruit, and the expectation is that he'll be there or thereabouts once more.