Sporting Chronicle

3.45 Facilitas CFR Novices Hurdle at Sandown Park

Number	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Get Odds
1	The Package	D E Pipe	Timmy Murphy	Bet Now
2	Abstract Art	Miss Venetia Williams	Sam Thomas	Bet Now
3	Awatuki	A P Jarvis	Barry Keniry	Bet Now
4	Back To The Wind	N J Henderson	Marcus Foley	Bet Now
5	Bruff Academy	N J Gifford	Philip Hide	Bet Now
6	Merchant Red	P R Webber	Jamie Moore	Bet Now
7	Night Cru	Jonjo O′Neill	Noel Fehily	Bet Now
8	Punchestowns	N J Henderson	Mick Fitzgerald	Bet Now
9	Talenti	Miss E C Lavelle	Andrew Thornton	Bet Now
10	The Jolly Spoofer	Miss E C Lavelle	P J Brennan	Bet Now
11	Trans Sonic	A P Jarvis	James Davies	Bet Now
12	Uncle Eli	R Rowe	Joe Tizzard	Bet Now
13	Smart Cat	A P Jarvis	Brian Hughes(3)	Bet Now
14	Haldibari	A King	J A McCarthy	Bet Now

Not a bad race and a few leading yards with possibilities.

I believe the two winners in the field Abstract Art and The Package are set quite a stiff task as there are a couple or three unexposed horses here that could go in at the first time of asking and I shall leave them alone.

The one I really like the look of is Nicky Henderson′s Punchestowns who has done his racing in France in bumper races, showing that he can gallop a bit when winning two of them. Will have been well schooled.

Jonjo′s horse Night Cru is a decent horse having won 5 races on the flat, 3 at Newmarket and 2 at Windsor at distances up to a mile and a quarter. Should get the 2 miles over jumps OK as a mile and a quarter on the flat at Newmarket with it′s big long straight would be like a mile and a half at most other course′s. Even though the yard′s runners are going somewhat better this horse may just be better for the experience.

I see Alan Jarvis has got three in it. Two can be passed over but Awatuki is not a bad sort and the trainer doesn′t keep many jumpers so even if it is not this time Awatuki should be remembered for the future.

Kingy′s horse Haldibari was disappointing last time when it looked like he sulked a bit whilst getting his backside smacked round the sharp bend′s of Taunton. The Somerset course wouldn′t be just any horses track. Sandown is a fairer track and if he is a bit of a thinker it should help him to run a proper race. In addition, Alan is wasting no time with the blinkers although that in itself is quite a heavy handed approach for a fairly lightly raced horse. Still, he′ll need to jump better than he did the last time as they bang the hurdle′s in fairly upright at Sandown and they are there to be jumped.

Selection - Punchestowns Won 11-8