Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Sandown

15:10

Date 2024-02-03

Distance 2m7f98y

Class Class 1

Going Good To Soft

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 4yo+

Prize £56,270

Runners (15)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
7	Saint Davy Bay J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo O'Neill	J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo O'Neill	155	—	/119-1	130	147	126	29d	—	—	+18	35	1.13/1	9/2 18%
Up 6lb since Ludlow (3m) but sole loss was in a Grade 1 and he brings plenty of potential
3	Ed Keeper Bay J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Sam Thomas	J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Sam Thomas	163	t	21-213	138	147	124	33d	—	—	+10	27	1.00/1	4/1 20%
5lb rise rubs salt in the wounds after Cheltenham blunder but he could be very useful
13	Scamallach Liath Grey J:Paul O'Brien T:Harry Derham	J:Paul O'Brien T:Harry Derham	148	p	322-12	123	144	136	42d	—	—	+6	23.3	1.38/1	11/2 15%
Progressive 2212 record in handicaps; stays well and surely won't go down without a fight
10	Transmission Bay J:Joe Anderson(5) T:Neil Mulholland	J:Joe Anderson(5) T:Neil Mulholland	150	p	4-8231	125	144	129	27d	—	—	+12	21.4	2.13/1	17/2 11%
Up 6lb, having left a favourable impression with his miraculous Plumpton win (3m1f, soft)
1	West Balboa Bay J:Tristan Durrell(3) T:Dan Skelton	J:Tristan Durrell(3) T:Dan Skelton	168	—	211-10	143	146	118	42d	—	—	+16	25.9	2.25/1	9/1 10%
Flopped badly as favourite for the Group 1 Long Walk at Ascot; very progressive otherwise
15	Good Look Charm Bay J:Ben Godfrey(3) T:Anthony Honeyball	J:Ben Godfrey(3) T:Anthony Honeyball	142	tb	2F-134	117	145	128	21d	—	—	+11	19.1	2.75/1	11/1 8%
4th in the 2m5f Lanzarote suggested that another crack at this sort of trip may well help
5	Operation Manna Bay J:Cameron Iles(7) T:Tom Lacey	J:Cameron Iles(7) T:Tom Lacey	156	—	P3-111	131	143	128	56d	—	—	+15	22.2	3.00/1	12/1 8%
Unbeaten in three runs this term, all under Cameron Iles, two at Sandown and latest C&D
12	Dubrovnik Harry Bay J:Jonathan Burke T:Harry Fry	J:Jonathan Burke T:Harry Fry	149	t	3P6-40	124	143	125	70d	—	—	+14	20.1	3.50/1	14/1 7%
Cheltenham 4th in October prompted renewed hope but he was then soundly beaten at Haydock
8	Wonderwall Bay J:James Bowen T:Peter Bowen	J:James Bowen T:Peter Bowen	153	p	/30-4B	128	146	-	21d	—	—	+16	20.9	4.50/1	18/1 5%
Below form over fences in November; brought down early three weeks ago for new yard
9	Hermino AA Bay J:Caoilin Quinn(3) T:Gary Moore	J:Caoilin Quinn(3) T:Gary Moore	153	—	1-UP30	128	146	107	21d	—	—	+23	27.7	4.50/1	18/1 5%
Good third at Cheltenham (3m, soft) but beaten a long way in good 2m5f handicap at Kempton
14	Tanganyika Bay J:Charlie Deutsch T:Venetia Williams	J:Charlie Deutsch T:Venetia Williams	144	—	-45135	119	144	125	13d	—	—	+22	25.1	8.25/1	33/1 3%
Penultimate start was creditable but he needs to perform much better than 13 days ago
2	Ambitious Fellow Bay J:Harry Cobden T:Peter Fahey	J:Harry Cobden T:Peter Fahey	167	—	0-0315	142	143	76	91d	—	—	+20	24.2	6.25/1	25/1 4%
Won a 16-runner handicap over the extended 2m6f at Galway festival last summer
4	Gustavian Bay J:Rex Dingle T:Anthony Honeyball	J:Rex Dingle T:Anthony Honeyball	157	t	1F-724	132	142	-	21d	—	—	+19	21.2	8.25/1	33/1 3%
Probably needs to recapture top form to win this, his first hurdle race since March 2021
6	Barbados Buck's Bay J:Gavin Sheehan T:Daragh Bourke	J:Gavin Sheehan T:Daragh Bourke	156	p	32-413	131	144	108	32d	—	—	+19	20.7	12.50/1	50/1 2%
Easily won a three-runner race two starts back; needs to exceed all his handicap form
NR	Equinus Bay J:TBC T:Nigel Twiston-Davies	J: T:Nigel Twiston-Davies	149	—	3U-155	124	147	120	56d	—	—	—	18.5	—	—
Contender if back in the peak form shown when winning at Aintree (3m) three starts back

Horse	bet365	Coral	Virgin Bet
Saint Davy	9/2	4/1	4/1
Ed Keeper	4/1	4/1	4/1
Scamallach Liath	11/2	5/1	5/1
Transmission	17/2	7/1	7/1
West Balboa	9/1	8/1	8/1
Good Look Charm	11/1	11/1	11/1
Operation Manna	12/1	12/1	12/1
Dubrovnik Harry	14/1	14/1	14/1
Wonderwall	18/1	14/1	14/1
Hermino AA	18/1	16/1	16/1
Tanganyika	33/1	28/1	28/1
Ambitious Fellow	25/1	25/1	25/1
Gustavian	33/1	33/1	33/1
Barbados Buck's	50/1	50/1	50/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Saint Davy

OR: 20 Form: 10 Odds: 5

9/2

2nd

Hermino AA

27.7

OR: 19.5 Form: 7 Odds: 1.2

18/1

3rd

Ed Keeper

OR: 22 Form: 0 Odds: 5

4/1

West Balboa

25.9

OR: 23.3 Form: 0 Odds: 2.7

9/1

Tanganyika

25.1

OR: 17.3 Form: 7.1 Odds: 0.8

33/1

Ambitious Fellow

24.2

OR: 23 Form: 0 Odds: 1.2

25/1

Scamallach Liath

23.3

OR: 18.3 Form: 0 Odds: 5

11/2

Operation Manna

22.2

OR: 20.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1.9

12/1

Transmission

21.4

OR: 18.8 Form: 0 Odds: 2.7

17/2

Gustavian

21.2

OR: 20.5 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

33/1

Wonderwall

20.9

OR: 19.5 Form: 0 Odds: 1.4

18/1

Barbados Buck's

20.7

OR: 20.3 Form: 0 Odds: 0.5

50/1

Dubrovnik Harry

20.1

OR: 18.5 Form: 0 Odds: 1.6

14/1

Good Look Charm

19.1

OR: 16.8 Form: 0 Odds: 2.4

11/1

Equinus

18.5

OR: 18.5 Form: 0 Odds: 0

—

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
West Balboa	143	146	118
Ambitious Fellow	142	143	76
Ed Keeper	138	147	124
Gustavian	132	142	—
Operation Manna	131	143	128
Barbados Buck's	131	144	108
Saint Davy	130	147	126
Wonderwall	128	146	—
Hermino AA	128	146	107
Transmission	125	144	129
Dubrovnik Harry	124	143	125
Equinus	124	147	120
Scamallach Liath	123	144	136
Tanganyika	119	144	125
Good Look Charm	117	145	128

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Tanganyika	13d ago	Quick return
Good Look Charm	21d ago	Fit
Wonderwall	21d ago	Fit
Hermino AA	21d ago	Fit
Gustavian	21d ago	Fit
Transmission	27d ago	Fit
Saint Davy	29d ago	Fit
Barbados Buck's	32d ago	Fit
Ed Keeper	33d ago	Fit
Scamallach Liath	42d ago	Fit
West Balboa	42d ago	Fit
Operation Manna	56d ago	Fresh
Equinus	56d ago	Fresh
Dubrovnik Harry	70d ago	Fresh
Ambitious Fellow	91d ago	Long break