15:00 Sandown

Saturday 4 January 2020

All12:1512:4513:2013:5014:2515:0015:35

Unibet Veterans' Handicap Chase (In Memory Of Houblon Des Obeaux)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 6m 39.9s

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Selected odds by:

King's Odyssey⁴⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 144| D

16/1

Ended a fair losing run when taking one of these contests at the first attempt proving his stamina for this trip at Warwick last time. Raised 5lb for that win when beating Smooth Stepper narrowly; never won off a mark this high but hard to ignore.

Form: 2F6F-21

Vieux Lion Rouge^p,t²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 143| D

10/1

Took advantage of the opportunity the handicapper had given him on his first run of the season when winning at Chepstow. Failed to go on from a good run starting out last season and it may well be the same case this time around; more to do.

Form: PP0-199

Carole's Destrier^p²⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 142| C| D

20/1

Course winner over further who added a win in a veterans event to his CV last March off a 5lb lower mark before shaping better than being pulled up in the Scottish National. Unseated in a void race here last month; others preferred.

Form: 14P1P-V

Burtons Well⁴²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 138| BF

7/1

Made light of a 22-month absence when returning to win an Aintree handicap in October in a similar event. Looked tailormade for this after that run but did run below-par last time; can't be ruled out on the back of that one run; could bounce back.

Form: 4F27/17

Theatre Guide^b,t⁴⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 137| D

16/1

This has looked to be his target since finishing third to Burton Well in a similar event in October although it has to remembered he hasn't won for over three years. Did finish second in this race last year off this mark so may have place claims agai

Form: 022-635

Abolitionist^p²⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 11-5| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 137| D

25/1

Made use of a reduced mark to win on his return over hurdles last season but hasn't shown much in two chase starts this season returning from a break. Pulled up over the National fences last time in the Becher Chase; easing down the weights.

Form: 0/15P-6P

Smooth Stepper⁴⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales| OR: 135

16/1

Given some tough tasks last season he showed that he still has plenty of ability when second in a veterans' event at Warwick (second to King's Odyssey). One of the younger brethren in this he entitled to come on for that run and can't be ignored here

Form: 0/75PP-2

Wild West Wind^p1,t²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 134| D

14/1

Suffered a string of non-completions after winning at Chepstow over two years ago off a 4lb higher mark. Stepped back in the right direction on his first run back from break/wind op but faltered again last time; becoming hard to trust.

Form: RUP/P-43

Shanroe Santos^b²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 132| CD

12/1

C&D winner who can be let down by his jumping on occasions but has run respectably twice this season; only just touched off last time at Carlisle. Slipped back down to his last winning mark he's worthy of respect at a venue that suits him.

Form: 774-4V2

Jepeck²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Rex Dingle⁽³⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 132| D

3/1

Made his mark in novice hurdles this season winning two from three in an effort to preserve his handicap mark (possibly for this). 5lb higher than when last seen over fences (second to Takingrisks; Scottish Grand National winner); shortlisted.

Form: 162-121

On Tour^v1⁶⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-10| J: R Johnson| T: Evan Williams| OR: 128| BF| D

10/1

Got going too late to make an impact in this last year off a 7lb higher mark but despite running some sound races since remains hard to win with. Failed to impress behind a couple of today's rivals at Aintree last time; visor now worn first-time.

Form: 63P5-25

Regal Flow¹⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: R H Buckler| OR: 127| D

16/1

Took the 2018 Midlands Grand National but that remains his last win although he has eased in the weights since that triumph. Had wind surgery prior to this season but doesn't look the force of old and is best watched for now.

Form: 36-03F5

Dark Flame^p1²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-7| J: James Davies| T: R Rowe| OR: 125| C| D

11/2

Course winner over 2m4f (2016) who looked rusty when returning from a two year plus break in a similar event over C&D. Showed that he retained most of his ability on that occasion (since run in a void race here); interesting off this mark.

Form: 8624/2V

Horatio Hornblower^p²²

Age: 12| Weight: 10-7| J: Chester Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 125| D

11/1

Comes here on a hat-trick having capitalised on two good recent opportunities. Helped by a career-low mark at Ffos Las before winning at Doncaster (had a hard race); would need to find more to be competitive here.

Form: U3P5-11

Forecasts

Jepeck (3/1), Dark Flame (11/2), Burtons Well (7/1), On Tour (10/1), Vieux Lion Rouge (10/1), Horatio Hornblower (11/1), Shanroe Santos (12/1), Wild West Wind (14/1), Regal Flow (16/1), Theatre Guide (16/1), Smooth Stepper (16/1), King's Odyssey (16/1), Carole's Destrier (20/1), Abolitionist (25/1)

Plenty of candidates to take the honours and those with a sentimental bent will be rooting for Venetia Williams to take this with Burtons Well with the race being named after last year’s ill-fated winner Houblon Des Obeaux. He needs to bounce back from a poor run last time as does On Tour who was placed in this last year. Dark Flame was second past the post in a void race here last time but his return run gives him a chance if he doesn’t hit a flat spot. JEPECK looks to have been saved for this though having run over hurdles of late his second to Scottish National winner Takingrisks reads well. King’s Odyssey and Smooth Stepper 1-2 at Warwick last time should also enter calculations.