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Three decent chances in Novices' Handicap Hurdle
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Iceo has been trained for the Imperial Cup
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A couple of soft ground lovers towards end of card
This race has always been the target
We have three nice chances in this and there are plenty of positives for Henri The Second who will relish the soft ground, won the Grade 2 Ballymore Winter Novice impressively at this track in December and just needed the race last time when he ran at Warwick to qualify for this EBF Final.
I wasn't hard on him before Warwick where he produced a solid performance in finishing second to the well backed winner. That has put him spot on for this Final which has always been his target.
Consistent and will handle conditions
He has done brilliantly this season, has won his last four races and I liked the way he kept on strongly last time for the victory at Market Rasen which qualified him for this Final. He is consistent, a straightforward horse who keeps galloping and will handle the testing conditions at Sandown. Freddie Gingell has won twice on Hugos New Horse but as he is out injured at the moment Angus Cheleda takes over claiming a handy 5lbs.
Live chance from bottom of the handicap
He was a bit of a slow learner but has got his act together now, is steadily improving, and won tidily at this track early in February. He was then only just touched off in a handicap over this course and distance and has a live chance from the foot of the weight.
Trained for the race and ground has come right
We have been waiting for rain for Iceo and it has finally arrived. I thought he ran a cracking race to finish second at Sandown early in January when he was upsides the winner Hardy Du Seuil at the last hurdle and just got a little tired in the final furlong.
I was a bit surprised how well Iceo ran that day given that it was his first time back after almost a year on the sidelines with a hairline fracture, and he has come on tonnes for it. Immediately after the race I decided to train him for the Imperial Cup and hopefully he will go very close to winning now that the ground has come right for him.
Ground will suit and she seems to stay well
She has twice run tidily on decent ground and while underfoot conditions will be a new experience for quite a few of this field I think the deep going at Sandown will suit her. She was quite green on her first start at Ascot and progressed a fair bit when just beaten in a tight finish at a Wincanton last month. Larchmont Lass is a really nice mare who seems to stay well and should run tidily fitted with a first time hood because she was keen at Wincanton.
Trip is perfect and he loves soft ground
He is another of ours who loves heavy ground and bounced back to form at Lingfield where conditions were very much in his favour. Last time over two miles on good ground at this track he found things happening too quickly for him behind Bun Doran. Two and a half miles should be absolutely perfect for Quel Destin now that the dry spell is over. It can't be too soft for him.
Best Chance: Iceo -14.25 Sandown.
"This has been his target since his encouraging comeback and conditions are ideal."
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