Hello Friend,

One of my RTP stalwarts, Doug, long time member , now good friend and in a couple of the RTP Syndicates, is off to Sandown this afternoon and bravely asked for a 'through the card'.

You can find that down below.

Before that... The Plumber...

If you click the video image above with any luck you can find Jack's post race feedback. He's happy to be recorded before and after every race, which is good for us, and allows me to send these videos on in real time to owners who are not track-side, taking them as close to the action as possible. It adds so much to our experience, esp on course.

As per the preview, given our experiment, the race was going to go one of two ways really. He did hate being behind horses (more so than the lack of hood) and has just pulled too hard and tugged himself into 2nd, but by the time they've turned for home he was out of gas. He did jump very well again when out in the clear. It would appear that the lad just likes to get on with it and be on or near the front, not surrounded by horses. So, at least we've learnt something there as we were not sure whether we could be versatile with him, tactics wise. For now, it doesn't appear we can be, which means I'll have to pull my finger out with the race planning/assessing pace maps etc as we monitor declarations etc. All good fun.

A couple of other things worth noting... he did come out of the race a bit sore in front, and may have found the ground quick enough (which was a surprise to me). He'll be find in a couple of days.

We are also going to get him 'over-ground scoped' to just make sure there isn't an issue with his breathing. He's responded to pressure a few times/panicked the odd time in a race (esp Worcester) which makes us think there 'could' be something there, but we will find out. Another £500 bill!

Always plenty to ponder in this game! But we keep our owners better informed than most (well, probably anyone else but then I'm biased!)

Moving on...

As always the usual caveats when spending 40-50 minutes on a 7 race card, I sometimes do well with these, 2-3 winners (as per Stratford) sometimes not - although I've only had x3 complete blanks, but it is possible! In any case, the notes may be useful, for placepot or forecast purposes etc... and a few stats to note...

Sandown ‘through the card’

1.50 – Bakeel – 11/2

2.20 – Coltrane – 11/4

2.55 – Stormbuster – 9/4

3.30- Brilliant Blue 20/1, Autumn Festival 18/1

4.05 – Passion And Glory – 6/1

4.38 – High Wells – 3/1

17.08 – Old News – 10/1 (EW, 4p)

*

Notes…

1.50 – no strong views on this and I’ve changed my mind a few times. Rocket Rodney does bring the best piece of recent form/performance to the table and as with them all, is entitled to build on it. He could blitz these and if running his race wasn’t sure why Eddie’s Boy overturns the Ascot form. I pondered Remarkable Force but having watched LTO talked myself out of it, although does drop back in trip. Bakeel is a ‘July Trainer’ qualifier and could leave his Ascot run behind where he broke fast and may well have done too much too soon, and on the wrong part of the track/on the wing. It’s not impossible he could grab the rail if breaking that fast again, which could be an advantage.

2.20 – Coltrane – I was just impressed with his Ascot effort where I thought he had plenty left and could just be improving. 11/4 is an ‘I’m at the races’ price, hard to say he’s overpriced but when racing you do want winners. I say that because 16f may be the shortest he wants, for all the stiff track will help there. He will be flying late, hopefully long gone. I thought Calling The Wind may find this sharp enough but of course those who ran at Ascot mainly had hard races, inc the selection, and it’s never impossible they run flat. The Balding team have a solid 20% SR with LTO winners.

Not So Sleepy – I’ll mention him, just because of the pace angle. He could well get a freebie on the front end here and he’s a dangerous horse to be left alone. At 14s, 16s he’s probably worth some track side change just in case Tom rides a stormer and can pinch this, but I’d expect younger, more progressive legs to have him in the final 2f. But you never know.

2.55 – Stormbuster – not strong views here either, I’d probably just watch track-side or use for placepot purposes. He and One Nation bring a decent level of LTO performance to the table, are fit, have experience and you’d think one of them would have too much for these but it is a 2YO Novice with a few unraced, so you never know. I thought Stormbuster ran an eye-catching race LTO and will no doubt come on bundles, enjoying this step up to a stiff 7f. The faster ground an unknown. One Nation has had a couple of goes now but did blow the start here last time and he finished 2nd with ease, Buick not knocking him around once he knew his chance had gone. Something else will have to be smart to beat those two I think.

3.30 – Brilliant Blue / Autumn Festival –

Well Golden Voice or Galiac may well take this but I wouldn’t be confident enough to wade in at 5/4 and 11/4, and opposing for some fun change with the two outsiders could be the way forward. It is a 3YO only handicap where horses can take big strides from one race to the next and I suppose one of these two will nee to, but they do have some solid runs to their name. Brilliant Blue – the Gary Moore team are in fine form, this one drops back in trip which may help, and he shas some solid form to his name, esp as a 2YO. Those Newbury and Yarmouth efforts were good, 20 subsequent winners out of those races and it suggests that one day he will leave a mark of 74 behind. His light weight may be no bad thing her either.

Autumn Festival is interesting from a pace angle, Hollie may well get to do her own thing upfront here, dropped back to the trip he last won over, 8f maybe just a stretch too far on recent evidence. No forlorn hope here. There are x3 bookies paying x3 places which could be an option.

4.05 – Passion And Glory –

Addeybb may take all the stopping here of course – he does like softer ground but he does handle this and his class may well just prevail. Still, I can’t wade in at 6/5 so it’s either leaving the race or finding something to have a go at.

I did start with Regal Reality, but then changed my mind, so we shall see how that plays out. I fancied the former at Royal Ascot but he was very slow away and Ryan was hostage to fortune after that. I’m not sure they went quick enough and he took an age to wind up, staying on strongly late. Still, he hasn’t liked winning much in recent seasons and some niggles for a 4s shot, for all SMS and Ryan do well together at Sandown, 7/23, 9p +13 in the last year.

Passion And Glory brings a different profile for the bang in form Saeed Bin Suroor – 7/23, 13p in the last 14 days, 69% rivals beaten. He can ready them off a break and this one returns from Meydan, where he ran the odd good race, esp last start. He’s 5/8, 6p when running in the UK, which isn’t too bad! He looked progressive here last summer. Fast ground is a bit of a niggle, as is this trip – it looks a bare minimum and Hollie will be keen to make plenty of use of him. If he can comfortably hold a position, he will be staying on at the end. Whether good enough, we will find out. Or he and Addeybb will go too hard and set it up for Regal Reality.

Maybe hoping the fav finds this ground too quick and dutching the pair is the way forward?

4.38 – High Wells –

He won over CD LTO and moved powerfully through the race like a horse on good terms with himself. I just didn’t really see a reason to oppose him, I can’t see why he wouldn’t run his race again and he did it with a bit in hand I thought. He shapes as if he’ll stay further, Adam will have him handy and get after him in good time, he does respond well for pressure. He should track Happy and with any luck takes it up 2f out, game over.

There is more to come from Saratoga Gold at some point but I can’t work out if he wants this faster ground or not, kept to softer the last twice. High Wells may also have track position on him and I’ll stick with the LTO winner, for all a late rattle from this one wouldn’t surprise me if handling conditions, and they could be fighting it out.

17.08 – Old News

Well if I’m needing a winner by the time this race rolls around, I’ll be heading to the drinks cabinet.

In saying that, Old News does look the overpriced one to my eyes here. The blinkers return, which he’s no doubt best in and this looks to be his time of year, maybe enjoying the summer sun – all flat wins have been in July/August, 3/11,6p, and he could be about to come into himself. Worth keeping an eye on next few starts if not today. He does run plenty, clearly some constitution. I’m not sure what happened at Doncaster but Leicester but was a decent effort the time before, staying on, beaten 3l, and that race has worked out well. He’s won in a higher class, is 4lb below his last winning mark… oh and he has course form, nearly winning here over 7f once, staying on. Chelsea Brooks has only had 4 rides in the last year, winning 2. I thought he looked interesting enough at 10s, with 4 places to play with if you must. IF he runs to his best, he won’t be out the places.

In truth I didn’t really like much else. Monaajez is solid, could be progressive, but 4s in a race like this isn’t for me, up in class from a C6 8f race at Bath which has yet to work out. I’ll pass, but only 4 and in form, that will count for plenty. And it was a stonking RPR, 70, against a mark of 57, which is usually a good sign a horse still has a bit up their sleeve.

Maysong just doesn’t like winning, 1/33 in career, so at 4s, no thanks. Does arrive on the back of two solid efforts through.

Bonus is interesting at 6s I suppose, given S Brotherton is on and a chance this one gets a freebie on the front end – although no doubt one or two will run away with their jockeys/get the pace wrong, so maybe not. I wasn’t sure the horse would be good enough to stay there, despite the assistance from the saddle, but I could be wrong.

In any case, that’s far too many words for this sort of contest! Pays your money, takes your chance.

GL with any bets, hopefully something there helps you navigate through the card,

Josh

p.s we now have just x3 shares left in Give Me A Boom! Do email us if interested... rtpsyndicate@gmail.com