15:45 Sandown

Saturday 3 February 2024

All12:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:20

Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:49 | Winning time: 6m 26.30s

Blackjack Magic^t⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Rex Dingle| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 139| BF| D

3/1

ook very well to chasing for current yard last term and he continued his progress on his return in 11-runner handicap at Wincanton in November. Hit the frame at Ascot next time and should be on the premises again.

Form: 21P1-14

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Fortescue^p³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Hugh Nugent⁽³⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 137| CD

12/1

Useful chaser who is hard to rely on but put up one of his better efforts when second at Haydock last time. Has scored over C&D in the past, so he's no forlorn hope.

Form: 4P50-42

Moroder^t1²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: James Best| T: J W Mullins| OR: 135| D

20/1

Good strike rate over fences and resumed winning ways in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster in March. Ended campaign with a career-best second in Bet365 Gold Cup here but questions to answer now after 3 poor runs this season (reportedly bled on reappearance).

Form: 012-PP7

Certainly Red³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: M Goldstein| T: Mrs L Richards| OR: 135| C| D

4/1

Likeable sort who completed a hat-trick last season, scoring twice over 25f at Wincanton either side of a victory at this track. Generally better than the result this season and he's back to his last winning mark.

Form: 197-435

Bangers And Cash^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 133| D

15/2

Progressed into a useful staying chaser last season, winning 3 of his last 4 starts. Back to form when third in first-time cheekpieces at Newbury and fairly treated if he can build on that.

Form: 101-P83

Grozni^p²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Cobden| T: James Owen| OR: 132

4/1

Three-time hurdles winner for Charles Byrnes and didn't need to improve to get off the mark over fences at Downpatrick on final start for that yard in August. Runner-up both outings for current stable and may yet do better.

Form: 433122

Dom Of Mary^p²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽³⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 127| D

11/2

Shaped well a couple of times before putting up a career-best effort to score at Plumpton last month, going clear impressively. Should go well again if the race is run to suit.

Form: 21-5461

Java Point^t⁶³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: J J Burke| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 126| D

10/1

12/1, first run since leaving Tom George when creditable fourth of 8 in handicap chase at Newbury (22.4f, good to soft) 63 days ago. Back to a potentially lenient mark and not completely dismissed.

Form: 2636-P4

Non-Runners

Full Back¹³

Weight: 11-8| Age: 9

T: G & J Moore J: N F Houlihan

Kestrel Valley²⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 10

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Forecasts

Blackjack Magic (3/1), Certainly Red (4/1), Grozni (4/1), Dom Of Mary (11/2), Kestrel Valley (7/1), Bangers And Cash (15/2), Java Point (10/1), Fortescue (12/1), Full Back (14/1), Moroder (20/1)

KESTREL VALLEY is still on the up and, with some fluent jumping, she might be able to build up an unassailable lead under positive tactics, so she's marginally preferred to Blackjack Magic, who arrives in good order. Dom of Mary is also considered on the back of a career best.