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Index Mile -
07 June 2007
7.55
Sandown – index Mile Class 3 Handicap (4yo+ 0-90)
1 – Killena Boy
– Comes into this race of the back of a good win over course and
distance and seems to be at his best when tackling this galloping
uphill finish having won on both starts here. Life is made harder
this time with the fact he has a 6lbs penalty for that victory and
the fact that the field is bigger then last time in which he sat
handy and went for home getting first run of a moderate pace.
Needing a personal best he does seem progressive and the Kempton run
behind Montpellier is working out very well so far. A overcast day
in the south east but with very little rain over the past few days
there shouldn’t be any soft in the going description anymore at
Sandown and it looks likely to be slightly on the fast side of good
for this evening meeting in which Killena Boy is effective on but
not to the same quality as with a slower surface under foot. Paul
Doe as always is the number one jock you want to see on this horse.
Tissue Price – 10/1
2 – The Snatcher
– Shaped with much promise before getting outpaced in the
finish at Newbury last time over 6F and is taking a drop down in
grade as well as a step back up in trip. Never really showed much on
seasonal reappearance when 17th behind Pinpoint in the
spring cup but this is a more realistic target for a horse that has
dropped in the handicap to be 1lb below last winning mark and even
though exposed it is too early days for myself to discount this 4yo
being able to progress over this longer trip. A winner over 7F he is
by a excellent sprint sire so a mile could possibly stretch the
stamina but this galloping track in which he carried top weight to
victory over 7F in a decent 3yo handicap suits well and with the
ground now in his favour and with stable in form and Richard Hughes
back in the plate who has ridden all four of his wins The Snatcher
could be ready to strike again with him looking to need a extra test
based on his 6F run.
Tissue Price – 8/1
3 – Marajaa
– Shaped well last time on the all weather when finishing a length
or so behind Killena Boy in the Kempton handicap and based on the
6lbs swing in the weights should have the reversing of the form
based on that run. However it isn’t a simple as that as Killena Boy
is certainly a better Turf runner then a polly track runner and the
course today certainly seems to have that horse at his best, add to
the fact that Marajaa had previously ran in the Spring Cup and could
have been further ahead in his work and it makes the collateral form
potentially misleading. Having had a break Marajaa has claims on the
ground over Killena Boy here having shaped well when encountering
good to firm ground in the past and finished a good 5th
in the Spring Cup at Newbury in which he had The Snatcher well
behind him but once again had fitness on his side and it’s a known
fact that The Snatcher progresses as the season goes on. Looked one
pace in a couple of his races the 8F should suit him here today but
draw 14 is never a great place to be drawn here as you quite often
get shuffled back through out the pack. He has claims at the weights
but a straight galloping track looks to be more ideal.
Tissue Price – 10/1
4 – Hassaad
– Sure to have plenty of supporters after the mishap in the Zetland
Gold Cup in which he was caught short of room as so many are in
Redcar premier race. Sure to be rated better then that and certainly
going the right way his style of running is often one that will lead
to trouble in running and it would be no surprise to see him return
to his best when tackling Ascot again and the Royal Hunt Cup in
which he looks a certain player if the right amount come out at the
weights. Needs a strong pace over a mile as he looks to travel
strongly in his races and its no surprise to see him kept to
handicaps as they throw up the biggest fields so he is likely to
have to make his hay in these types of races rather then ever
looking the likely sort to hold his own in pattern class races. The
fast side of good suits and he was impressive when winning at Ascot
so the 6lbs high in the handicap is easy to overcome on my reckoning
but this wouldn’t be my idea of a ideal placement for him and the
Haydock race may have been better in a couple of days, but he is one
for the notebook and Royal Ascot.
Tissue Price – 4/1
5 – Pintle
– Game front runner Pintle comes here likely needing a run as well
as assistance from the handicapper to make her a weight in which she
is capable of landing a prize off. The last 4 runs where certainly
tough asks given to her after winning well at Warwick when making
all in her usual game style. Kerrin Mcevoy has ridden the horse to
four of her last 5 victories and clearly gets on well with the horse
and drying ground is a bonus as is the drop in class but even though
several things can be made into her favour she has been given a
tough ask on her return to the track from a inform barn.
Tissue Price – 25/1
6 – Master Pegasus
– Always take note of the stable handicap runners at this track as
they often come up trumps in these types of all age handicaps and
today’s runner under the underrated George Baker is fairly unexposed
and entitled to respect based on the run in the Britannia Handicap
behind the likes of Sir Gerard, Smart enough and Easy Air at the
Royal Meeting last year. Not certain to have trained on for his 3yo
days he has never been beaten to far and may come into his own when
stepping up in trip as he looks the type who takes a while to get
going and no surprise that his only victory to date has come on soft
ground as a 2yo over 7F. He is one to keep a note on for handicap
over 10F on soft ground in my view and will improve as the season
progresses.
Tissue Price – 20/1
7 – Voliere
– Debutant for Stuart Williams after running Ireland and you can
never be to sure what to make of these horses when running for this
trainer on debut. Been of the course for 244 days and yet to win
fresh but with no disrespect to the last trainer it hasn’t stopped a
horse before in the care of this trainer who is a master at getting
them well handicapped and there is certainly prizes that will be
picked up when given a stern test of stamina no doubt.
Tissue Price – 33/1
8 – Langford
– Finished well to take 2nd behind Flipando a horse who
has franked the form by running out a good winner of the Zetland
Gold Cup, so if you take the winner out of that race the 2nd
would have been a winner of a fair handicap with the 5th
that day winning again as well as the 3rd winning in fine
fashion. 2lbs high in the handicap he has retained the services of
Saleem Golem who seems the key to this horse. The concern has to be
for the gaps to arrive at the right time in this size fields but he
should get the solid end-to-end gallop that is needed. Three
previous runs at the track has resulted in two good seconds and the
drying ground is very much in favour so there is much to like about
the chances of this horse today even though he is hard to catch
right, but has a fair chance on form.
Tissue Price – 12/1
9 – General Knowledge
– Given a 7lb penalty for a muddling race win over Torrens at
Folkestone and seemed harshly treated when trailing in ninth of 13
in a similar type of race to this over the Rowley Mile. Suited to
the conditions the drop back in trip didn’t seem to do the trick and
it is a surprise to see them continuing over this trip today as the
Newmarket race hasn’t worked out well so far and there was a
significant split of opinions in that race too. Better when given
easier tasks at the likes of Folkestone his trainer does much better
with handicappers over fences here then his all age handicappers and
this looks a better quality of handicap then that one ran at
Newmarket last time.
Tissue Price – 25/1
10 – Councillor
– Been consistently on the go this spring on the all weather and
made a return to the turf of a 11lb high mark last time when
finishing just over 5L 4th to Daaweitza who has form
lines with the likes of Langford who is one of the opponents for
today’s race. Needs to improve on turf form but is very consistent
having finished in the first 3 in just over 50% of his races. Failed
to really sparkle when competing in this class of race but goes well
for Micky Fenton who rides today. On the form line through the yard
stick he has a bit to find with Langford and looks in the grip of
the handicapper today and will need a few to under perform to be
winning at this level.
Tissue Price – 25/1
11 – Tumbleweed Glory
– Was rather consistent in and around these types of handicaps and
is still of some interest this season now back to his all weather
winning mark. Yet to land a handicap on turf he hasn’t run without
some promise given the Leicester run and the run at this track
behind Linas Selection as a 3yo. The bend running suits and the mile
trip based on the Kempton run should suit providing that it is made
into a true gallop for his extra stamina to come into play and the
Newmarket run can be excused as he is a horse that conditions well
after a run.
My Tissue Price – 16/1
12 – It’s a Dream
– has the beating of a few of these based on the run behind
Plum pudding at Newmarket in which he raced on the un-favoured side
of the course but the form of that race hasn’t been well franked and
on the Ascot running was picked off in good style by Hassard who he
meets here on 8lbs better terms for 3.5L defeat but isn’t certain to
reverse the form of that race here today. The fact that this isn’t a
straight mile could give it’s a dream a chance as he seems a better
proposition when given a rail to run and he is rated as a true
danger to the fav with the ground drying out and a strong pace
likely to help him along here.
My Tissue Price – 8/1
13 – Fabrian
– well beaten last time by Full Victory here on soft conditions but
there is some reasons to be hopeful if you are a backer of this
horse as he ran away from the rest and was beaten on possibly the
worse part of the course, Weighted 10lbs better off at the weights
with that rival taking into consideration of the riders claim
Fabrian is within 3lbs of his last winning mark and has ideal
conditions to give reason to reversing the form here tonight. Liam
Jones rode him well when a narrow 2nd here in a lower
class race and also when well beaten at Leicester a race in which he
can be passed over as not staying so there is claims on most of his
form that a bold bid is likely tonight.
My tissue Price – 12/1
14 – Full Victory
– Looked a good prospect last season and returned to form
this season with a very impressive win here last time in which he
had them all beaten in a matter of strides, conditions that day
suited and the turning to the fast side of good doesn’t help as much
as when he can get his toe in. Not certain to confirm form with
Fabrian on tonight’s conditions but certainly comes here the form
pair out of the two. He has a harder race to contend with then last
time but looks one that can go close if handling these conditions
just as well and better then in the past.
My Tissue Price – 8/1
15 – Merrymadcap
– From a yard that is desperately out of form Merrymadcap has a
jockey unknown to myself taking a vital 7lbs off making the carrying
weight down below 8 stone, which is always interesting in handicaps
such as this. 2nd to the Gaikwar at Chepstow he had Full
Victory 2L further back and based on that piece of form should be
able to confirm the form here from a very low weight. Full Victory
was well supported this day also so they may have found the run
disappointing to say the least given the way that horse won next
time out and the winner flopped very badly next time so its hard to
draw to many conclusions from this piece of form. Best with cut in
the ground he doesn’t look the best-handicapped horse in the field
and its unlikely even though better weighted that he will confirm
the form with Full Victory around here.
My tissue price – 16/1
Verdict – An open
handicap with many chances in and the top of the handicap looks the
place to look. Hassad is looking too short and little unsure why he
is 6/4 on the book in a hot heat and will certainly trade bigger at
some point between now and the race. Full Victory was impressive
last time but this is a much harder race and is getting to his
correct price. Killena Boy course specialist has claims but The
Snatcher 10/1, Fabrian 28/1 It’s A dream 16/1 And Tumbleweed Glory
25/1 have all been made value because of the short priced favourite
in this race and result as favoured opponents to the short price fav.
Desert Chief yesterday was most disappointing and no way would have
backed at 7/4.
Selection –
Fabrian 0.5pts @ 28-1 (34 BF),
The Snatcher 1pt @ 10-1 (BF
16.5), Tumbleweed Glory 0.25pts
@ 25/1 (120 BF)
Well Chief
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