Fairoak Lad can win bet365 Gold Cup
West-country yards have dominated the major jumping prizes for over a decade and the powerhouses from the cider counties are out in force at Sandown Park.
The final day of the jumps season is highlighted by the bet365 Gold Cup and between them Paul Nicholls (four), David Pipe (three) and Philip Hobbs (three) account for half of the 20-strong field.
Picking out the best representative from each yard could be an exercise in itself but Just Amazing appears to be the pick of the Nicholls runners, following a bloodless victory in a novice chase at Cheltenham nine days ago.
However, he was only sixth from a 1lb higher mark in a handicap at Ascot in October and so the Hobbs-trained Fairoak Lad makes more appeal. Running off a handicap mark of 138, he is set to carry 10st 8lb so he is in the right weight range judged on winners of the race over the last 20 years and has seemingly been campaigned with this prize in mind.
He ran in a Grade One novice chase at Kempton Park in late December and did not run again until March when he won a novice chase at Wincanton. Richard Johnson presumably had the choice of the Hobbs runners, which are in flying form at present, and can win the race for a third time in five years following on from Lacdoudal in 2006 and Monkerhostin – the topweight here –in 2008.
The Grade Two bet365.com Celebration Chase could come down to little more than whether Twist Magic actually starts or not. He was not inclined to take part in the Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday but, if he consents this time, he is the clear form pick to give jockey Sam Thomas a bright end to what has been a torrid season, while Optimus Maximus can keep up Nicky Henderson’s excellent 40% strike-rate with his hurdles at Sandown this season in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle.
The Flat season nudges for its share of the spotlight with the Group Two bet365 Mile. The fact that Richard Hannon is still debating is whether the ground has been watered sufficiently to run last year's winner Paco Boy.
Then Paco Boy had to carry a 6lb penalty but is spared that burden this time. His form, from winning the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and his fine second to Rip Van Winkle in the Sussex Stakes puts him some way ahead of his rivals, who are led by Pressing, although the lightly-raced Prince Of Dance could be the surprise package.
The Punchestown Festival winds down with a final Grade One race, the Airshow 100 Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle. The perception is that this season’s juvenile hurdles may not be the best generation seen in recent years.
Barizan finished ahead of Carlito Brigante in the Triumph Hurdle, when second to Soldatino, but Barizan then finished second at Aintree behind shock 40-1 winner Orsippus.
Sweet My Lord has not looked the best of jumper but the Willie Mullins yard has been in such sparkling form this week and he may have freshness on his side.
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