Category: Racecourses

Sandown Park Racecourse is located in Esher town in the Surrey County of England. It is a dual-race type track owned by the Jockey Club Racehorses, with race meetings televised on Racing UK.

History

The course opened in 1895, over a 3-day Grand National Hunt Chase, which has since moved to Cheltenham. During this race, viewers had to part with half a crown to watch, pitting Sandown among the foremost the first race venues to charge attendance. The Steeplechase run on the Saturday after that firs hunt carried a £2,130 winning prize, the highest paid for a race of the type that season. The construction of a grandstand prior to the 1875 opening made gave it one of the best unobstructed viewing areas, a factor that greatly increased its popularity.

The course

The track is roughly oval, narrow on one side and wide on the other. It has a long straight cutting the oval through the center along its length. It is a gently sloping circuit, with a not-too-steep climb towards the finish. The track hosts both flat and jump races.

The course has retained a modern look at all times, staying ahead of some courses that have done more recent upgrades. A 1972 viewing stand of 76, 000 capacity is to date regarded one of the best place to be on race days.

Access to the course is by car, rail or you can make a helicopter landing on the helipad within the ourse with prior arrangement with the management. The Esher railway station is close nearby, just ten minutes’ walking distance. Dress code is not strict at Sandown, although extreme wear like rugged jeans may be restricted in some areas. Smart casual is the safest bet.

Races

Sandown has a busy calendar, with racing activity held throughout the year. Some of the biggest races, famous jockeys and horses have been here. Think of eight-time champion Desert Orchid, or Arkle.

The Gold Cup, usually run in April, is the course’s main race. The Eclipse Stakes and the Tote Masters are also popular within Sandown’s 29-day fixtures.

 

Some of the biggest names in the world of horse racing slug it out over four miles at Aintree on Saturday 14^th March to decide this year’s Grand National winner. It’s the event that brings the UK to a standstill, uniting avid backers and race fans with once-a-year penny punters.

 

One for Arthur banked the prize money last year for trainer Lucinda Russell with those who had him backed celebrating a chunky 14/1 pay-out. The champion won’t be back to defend, ruled out through injury, meaning there will be a new king or queen and all we have to do is pick it before the off and get our stake money down. Easier said than done but there is no lack of opinions flying around in the build-up, including the Grand National tips at Timeform.

 

As well as some of the brightest talents in handicap steeplechasing, we also get a chance to witness the bravery of the jockeys as they aim to write their name into the history books. In the madness of it all, the crowds cheering jockey and horse as they kick for home, it’s easy to overlook the dedication and commitment of the racehorse trainers.

 

This year, we see old rivals Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott go head-to-head and both men have wheeled out the big guns in an attempt to shoot down the other. Mullins famously won the race back in 2005 with Hedgehunter but that remains his sole success to date. Gordon Elliott finally made an appearance in the Aintree winner’s enclosure two years later with Silver Birch.

 

Both trainers hold strong hands in this year’s renewal with two horses each featuring in the first ten of the ante-post betting. Here are their hopes and what’s expected of them…..

 

Total Recall (Mullins)

 

Total Recall has already proven very popular with punters and he goes no bigger than 12/1 pre-Cheltenham. That’s a compliment but it’s easy to see where traders are coming from with the jolly enjoying a hot-streak, winning each of his last three.

 

That purple patch began with an eye-catching win in the Munster National Handicap Chase at Limerick in October when hammering a strong field, nearest rival Alpha Des Obeaux coming home seventh lengths behind in second. 2/1 favourite that day and the shorter distance won’t be a worry as the victor seemed to have plenty to give on the run-in. Two months later, he was seen taking the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbury over 3m 1f, although this time it was closer, Whisper beaten a neck. The hat-trick was completed with a decent cushion over Oscar Knight at Leopardstown in the William Fry Handicap Hurdle.

 

Cause Of Causes (Elliott)

 

The tallest stalk in Gordon Elliott’s field is Cause Of Causes, who was runner-up in last year’s race behind One For Arthur, 4 ½ lengths the distance between gold and silver. Despite going to post a 16/1 also-ran, the experienced 10-year-old knew enough to move his way into the mix despite finding plenty of trouble along the way.

 

Hampered and bumped during an eventful race, he was with the winner at the business end before going flat when it mattered. With a clearer run, who knows what may have happened. Connections will be eager to right a few wrongs here and that course and race form must be respected.

 

 

Bellshill (Mullins)

 

Moving onto the bigger prices; this is one race you can’t put a line through a runner simply because the odds-makers think it can’t win. This is the home of the upset and 25/1 says Bellshill will trump them all on the day. The eight-year-old bay holds the respect of Mullins and showed what he had in a warm-up race earlier this year, winning the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse over 3m 1f.

 

Favourite going to post, the gelding lived up to the hype with a near five-length lead of A Genie In Abottle in second. The result was expected but the manner in which he won the race wasn’t easy to sweep under the carpet, taking the trip without drama and running away from them at the post. Third in the RSA Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last year under the ride of Ruby Walsh, he’ll receive a share of each-way bets again here.

 

Ucello Conti (Elliott)

 

33/1 in places but that won’t put many off. Ucello Conti rates as a well-treated 10-year-old who went into the spring with a record of three seconds and a third from a dozen starts. Still has plenty to learn and this may be a bit much for him but the outsider has bags of progression and his runner-up in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December behind Anibale Fly won him some new friends.

 

He took silver off a cracking 25/1 SP that day but question marks remain over his ability to stay on his feet; he got rid of Daryl Jacob in last year’s National on the second crack at Bechers. Looked to be in the race when making that mistake and would’ve come on for the experience.

 

 

 

 

When? A four day event taking place between Thursday the 13^th and Sunday 16^th of March 2018.

 

How to watch? Live through ITV Racing

 

Dress code is more relaxed than the Royal Ascot.

 

The Cheltenham Festival is one of UK’s top three horse racing events, just a few weeks before the grandest race of all, the Grand National. The event began in 1860 at the Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

 

It features several Grade I races including the highlight of the event, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other top races include the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and World Hurdle.

 

Cheltenham is famous for its festive atmosphere, most notably for the “Cheltenham Roar”, which refers to the crowds cheers just before the first race of the festival begins.

 

Schedule

 

Day 1 – Champion Day

 

13:30 – The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race

 

14:10 – The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase 

 

14:50 – The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase

 

15:30 – The UniBet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy 

 

16:10 – The OLBG Mares’ Hurdle Race 

 

16:50 – The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup 

 

17:30 – The Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase 

 

Day 2 – Ladies Day

 

13:30 – The JLT Novices’ Chase

 

14:10 – The Pertemps Network Final

 

14:50 – The Ryanair Steeple Chase

 

15:30 – The Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle

 

16:10 – The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate

 

16:50 – The Trull House Stud Mares Novices’ Hurdle

 

17:30 – The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase

 

Day 3 – St. Patrick’s Thursday

 

13:30 – The JLT Novices’ Chase

 

14:10 – The Pertemps Network Final

 

14:50 – The Ryanair Steeple Chase

 

15:30 – The Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle

 

16:10 – The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate 

 

16:50 – The Trull House Stud Mares Novices’ Hurdle

 

17:30 – The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase

 

Day 4 – Gold Cup Day

 

13:30 – The JCB Triumph Hurdle

 

14:10 – The Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle Race

 

14:50 – The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race

 

15:30 – The Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase

 

16:10 – The St. James’s Place Foxhunter Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

 

16:50 – The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race

 

17:30 – The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

 

Betting Odds

 

Here are some of the latest odds. For live odds head to http://sports.williamhill.com/bet/en-gb/events/horse-racing.

 

Cheltenham Gold Cup betting odds:

 

• Might Bite- 7/2

 

• Native River – 11/2

 

• Sizing John – 6/1

 

• Road To Respect – 9/1

 

• Our Duke – 8/1

 

• Killultagh – 10/1

 

• Definitely Red – 16/1

 

• Total Recall – 14/1

 

 

Queen Mother Champion Chase odds:

 

• Altior – 4/6

 

• Min – 9/4

 

• Douvan – 4/1

 

• Politologue – 7/1

 

• Un De Sceaux – 6/1

 

• Special Tiara – 14/1

 

• Great Field – 16/1

 

• Yorkhill – 16/1

 

 

Champion Hurdle odds:

 

• Buveur Dair – 4/9

 

• Faugheen – 5/1

 

• My Tent Or Yours – 9/1

 

• Yorkhill – 8/1

 

• Elgin -16/1

 

• Melon – 14/1

 

• Min – 12/1

 

• Wicklow Brave – 14/1

 

 

Stayers’ Hurdle odds:

 

• Supasundae – 3/1

 

• Sam Spinner – 5/1

 

• Yanworth – 4/1

 

• Penhill – 9/1

 

• Lami Serge – 12/1

 

• The New One – 12/1

 

• Unowhatimeanharry – 12/1

 

• Bacardys – 10/1

 

 

 

 

 

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