15:30 Sandown

Sunday 10 November 2019

All12:4513:1513:5014:2514:5515:3016:00

Casino At Virgin Bet Veterans' Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 6m 31.0s

Abolitionist^p²⁴¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 145| D

15/2

Irish Grand National third (2017). First two runs for this yard sawhim score impressively over hurdles before qualifying for the Grand National, but missed that race after running poorly at Cheltenham in March. Likely to bounce back, and respected.

Form: 130/15P-

Houblon Des Obeaux^p²³⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 143| CD

11/4

Classy sort who won this race in 2017, and turned back the clock to land veterans' series final here in January. Handicapper reacted harshly to that success, and he was well held on final start last term, but returns with yard among the winners.

Form: 66103P-

Le Reve^b¹⁹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁵⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 132| CD

4/1

Well held in Bet365 Gold Cup in April, but wins in Lingfield's Surrey National and Grand Military Gold Cup over C&D early in the year show that he's no back number, and often goes well here.

Form: 8P1148-

Rathlin Rose^b²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-12| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 131| CD

9/2

Won a similar event at Ascot in March off 4lb higher, and comes here having run respectably in the Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic last month. Every chance if that hasn't left its mark.

Form: U7197-6

Morney Wing^p,t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 130| C| D

16/1

Won London National over 3m5f here last December, and better form when placed on next two starts. Has failed to complete on his last two outings, however, and got no further than the second in Durham National last month.

Form: 2132P-F

Dark Flame⁷³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: L P Aspell| T: R Rowe| OR: 124| C| D

6/1

Showed useful chase form in 2016/17, and fairly handicapped having been dropped by the assessor, but not seen in over two years, and hard to know what ability remains.

Form: 138624/

Loose Chips^b²⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 10-4| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 123| CD

4/1

Has won this race for two of the last three years, so has to be respected, but rising 14 now, and well held on his return at Carlisle. Looks vulnerable to younger legs now.

Form: 5P5P5-8

Non-Runners

Carole's Destrier²¹¹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 11

T: N P Mulholland J: R T Dunne

Brother Tedd²³⁹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 10

T: P Hobbs & J White J: R Johnson

Forecasts

Houblon Des Obeaux (11/4), Brother Tedd (3/1), Le Reve (4/1), Loose Chips (4/1), Carole's Destrier (4/1), Rathlin Rose (9/2), Dark Flame (6/1), Abolitionist (15/2), Morney Wing (16/1)

LE REVE found a new lease of life earlier this year, and with this track often playing to his strengths, he's taken to land a very competitive leg of this popular series. Brother Tedd is unproven at the trip, but is the baby of the party, and has shaped as if worth a try over 3m, so looks a danger, as is the lightly raced Aboloitionist.