One last chance to land the Placepot at a big Saturday meeting before Cheltenham comes at Sandown this weekend. Six quality races are held on the card, with Joe Napier giving and explaining his selections below.
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Leg 1: 1.15pm
Leg 1 Selections: (4) Kartoon And Co
On the precipice of this race being reduced to seven runners and with heavy going still the official conditions, this is a tricky opener. KARTOON AND CO looks the most solid option, having been second and third behind well-regarded types on his most recent pair of starts. The former was when conceding 7lb to Givemefive, who has since been second at Grade 2 level, and was on soft ground, suggesting heavy conditions can suit. There is reason to believe he can be as talented as any of those conceding him weight in this line-up.
Racing results
The racing results for all of today’s racing. Find out the result within seconds of the race finishing.
- 1m 7f 216y
- Class 3
- 8 runners
-
Spiced Rum 12/1 -
Kartoon And Co 11/4 -
Valadon 9/4
Winning Jockey: Robert Dunne
Winning Trainer: Stuart Kittow
Exacta: £21.00
Straight Forecast: £18.05
Tricast: £70.48
Trifecta: £110.60
Leg 2: 1.50pm
Leg 2 Selections: (2) Emailandy, (6) Dartmoor Pirate, (10) Westerninthepark
A look through the last five seasons shows that talented horses win this novices’ handicap final. In the last two seasons, Paul Nicholls’ first string has been upstaged by a stablemate, and it’s possible that EMAILANDY has as much to offer at a bigger price than Fire Flyer. His third to Jingko Blue at Newbury reads very well from back in December and there is a chance he may relish these types of conditions.
Another two to throw at this race with four places on offer in a 17-runner field as things stand are DARTMOOR PIRATE and WESTERNINTHEPARK. The former might be crying out for this step up in trip with his best run to date having come on soft, while the latter won a bumper on heavy and is another who should be staying on when others cry enough.
Leg 3: 2.25pm
Leg 3 Selections: (6) Sans Bruit, (13) Jipcot
We may be making too much of the prospective going at Sandown, but it will still be soft enough anyway on Saturday, so two former French-trained horses are to the fore in our selections for the Imperial Cup. JIPCOT had been tried without success over fences this season, but Ben Pauling’s yard clearly felt he had some ability given he was pitched into the Triumph Hurdle on his stable debut last term. He got off the mark as recently as Sunday, but a 7lb penalty probably does not account for how stylishly he won back over hurdles and he could well record his second win in a week.
The other to chance is SANS BRUIT for Paul Nicholls. His stable debut came in January on good ground at Doncaster, on which he ultimately faded over 2m3½f. However, he shaped with promise and won twice on slow surfaces in France in 2023. His mark has fallen 2lb after that first run for his trainer, but this race should suit more and he may strip fitter anyway.
Leg 4: 3.00pm
Leg 4 Selections: (1) Bellas Bridge, (3) Crazierthandaisy, (4) Honky Tonk Highway
It’s rare you see a bumper in the middle of a card, but this Listed contest gave us an introduction to Luccia in 2022. It may pay to side with proven stamina even though the going is only considered soft on the flat course, as this should still take some getting for inexperienced horses. Point form is therefore looked at favourably, with BELLAS BRIDGE and HONKY TONK HIGHWAY having won in that sphere, with the latter having done so against some useful opponents. The former has also recorded a bumper victory.
There was significant promise shown by CRAZIERTHANDAISY on her debut when running green and being interfered with before finishing third at Huntingdon. She could take a big step forward.
Leg 5: 3.35pm
Leg 5 Selections: (1) Golden Son
Any issues that were ongoing with GOLDEN SON after a promising chase debut appear to have been erased. If that remains the case, then a 3lb rise for a recent victory over subsequent scorer Heltenham two weeks ago looks very lenient, especially as that came at right-handed Kempton. The six-year-old should still be progressive enough to improve too.
Leg 6: 4.10pm
Leg 6 Selections: (2) Ballygrifincottage, (10) Rose Of Arcadia
Trust any of these at your peril. Almost the entire field will have to recover their form to win, with ROSE OF ARCADIA having run closest to her best in more recent starts. She has only ever won once in races not restricted to her own sex, but she has been performing with credit despite her mark declining consistently since December.
BALLYGRIFINCOTTAGE is the other in the line-up who is sneaking closer to being well-handicapped. He was given a ludicrous mark after his chase debut last season, but has now dropped to a rating of 135 after his most encouraging run for a while at Ascot. This also looks substantially easier.
Suggested Placepot Selections For Sandown On Saturday 9th March
Leg 1 Selections: (4) Kartoon And Co
Leg 2 Selections: (2) Emailandy, (6) Dartmoor Pirate, (10) Westerninthepark
Leg 3 Selections: (6) Sans Bruit, (13) Jipcot
Leg 4 Selections: (1) Bellas Bridge, (3) Crazierthandaisy, (4) Honky Tonk Highway
Leg 5 Selections: (1) Golden Son
Leg 6 Selections: (2) Ballygrifincottage, (10) Rose Of Arcadia
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