14:55 Sandown

Friday 6 December 2019

All12:4513:2013:5514:2514:5515:30

Sandown Park Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:55 | Winning time: 6m 35.68s

Le Reve^b²⁶

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

4/1

Veteran with a fine historic Sandown record; clearly isn't the force of old but can be expected to improve fitness wise for his C&D (soft) comeback third to Houblan Des Obeaux (holds fourth placed Loose Chips).

Form: P1148-3

Barbrook Star^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Thomas Doggrell⁽⁷⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 126

6/1

Back to winning ways (overcame some tardy leaps) when bravely fending off Follow The Swallow/Boughtbeforelunch at Warwick (3m1½f, good to soft) four weeks ago; 6lb higher on a career high handicap mark of 126 (albeit with a 7lb claimer aboard).

Form: 3817-61

Plantagenet⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Miss Gina Andrews| T: J W Mullins| OR: 125

10/3

Strong stayer who has won more than his fair share of races (6-28) for Seamus Mullins; runner-up on both starts this season - was hindered by a lost iron (two out) at Cheltenham (3m1f, good to soft) six weeks ago; 4lb higher; chance.

Form: 21PF-22

Loose Chips^b²⁶

Age: 13| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr Zac Baker| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 120| CD

9/1

Like Le Reve, is a regular feature here at Sandown Park; is now rated 10lb lower than when beating Rock Gone by 11L over C&D (soft) in November 2018 but time waits for no man and age creeps up on us all eventually.

Form: P5P5-84

Le Boizelo³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien| T: R Walford| OR: 120| BF| C

7/2

Heavy ground course hurdles winner (2m4f) in February 2016; has frequented Haldon Hill at Exeter more often than not since (seven starts); stayed on under hands and heels riding (no whip) when 2¾L third to Orchardstown Cross latest; 2lb higher.

Form: 2P86-63

Boughtbeforelunch^p²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Jack Savage⁽³⁾| T: P R Webber| OR: 117

9/2

A consistent type; again firmly in the mix when beaten 3½L by Barbrook Star/Follow The Swallow at Warwick (3m1½f, good to soft) four weeks ago; let off lighter than the aforementioned pair (+6lb & +5lb) with just a token 2lb rise.

Form: U322-23

Follow The Swallow^b,t²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-11| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 115| D

20/1

Veteran; built upon a fair comeback run at Stratford (2m5f, soft) when sticking to his task (25-1) behind Barbrook Star (Boughtbeforelunch third) at Warwick (3m1½f, good to soft) four weeks ago; a subsequent 5lb weights rise is harsh.

Form: 2451-32

River Of Intrigue^b¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Miss Brodie Hampson| T: J G M O'Shea| OR: 110

33/1

Both of his wins have come on a sound surface (Plumpton & Wincanton), so while he's evidently a hardy stayer that must set some alarm bells ringing in the context of these conditions; is easing in the weights (on last winning mark).

Form: 1-24P54

Non-Runners

Indy Five¹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 9

T: David Dennis J: Mr James King

Forecasts

Plantagenet (10/3), Le Boizelo (7/2), Le Reve (4/1), Boughtbeforelunch (9/2), Barbrook Star (6/1), Loose Chips (9/1), Follow The Swallow (20/1), Indy Five (20/1), River Of Intrigue (33/1)

Something of a rematch between the Warwick rivals (1/2/3) Barbrook Star, Follow The Swallow and Boughtbeforelunch with the added delights of the ageing Sandown specialists Le Reve and Loose Chips thrown into the mix. However, fortune occasionally favours the brave, so we'll take aim at the Exeter regular LE BOIZELO who stayed on for hands and heels riding (rider dropped his whip) to finish third to Orchardstown Cross over a similarly searching 3m trip (soft) last month.