5.05 Sandown
Rosairlie 8/1 NAP
Really, really like Micky Hammond's very progressive 4 year old who I think will be extremely difficult to beat tomorrow. After showing some good promise for Harry Dunlop as a 2 year old, she really didn't progress like I thought she would but since joining Micky Hammond this year her career has really taken off on both the flat and over hurdles. In terms of her hurdling career, she has won her two starts since getting a handicap and she is now rated 110 in that sphere and still looks like she can progress again. In terms of her flat endeavours, she has also been very progressive for Hammond on the flat and has made the frame in all three starts in this sphere. In her first flat start for her new trainer, she ran a cracking 4L beaten 3rd off a mark of 62 at Pontefract over 2m2f and it was an excellent effort on her first flat start in 5 months. The form of that race is very strong with the winner scoring impressively off a 7lb higher mark on his next start whilst the 4th won his next two flat starts including off a 6lb higher mark. It was a really good effort and she's definitely improved again from that effort.
After landing a hurdles race impressively, she returned to the flat off the same mark of 62 at Newcastle on soft ground. After being held up at the back of the field, jockey Garry Whillans got caught napping slightly as Danny Tudhope under an excellent enterprising ride kicked about 8L clear of Rosairlie and that ended up being too much of a deficit as she couldn't make up the ground quick enough over the 2m trip as she eventually went down by 2L, with the 3rd a further 14L back. The form of that race is very strong with the winner Pokfulham finishing a nose 2nd on his next start before winning by the same margin off an 11lb higher mark than his success in this race in better company and Rosairlie really lost absolutely nothing in defeat. On her last start after being raised to a mark of 65 she finally broke her maiden on the flat at the 12th attempt.
A few of you may remember I had put her up as an extremely confident bet LTO and actually commented that I was counting her as a winner before the race had started. She did comply but by the shortest of margins as she landed the 2m Class 5 event at Ripon on good to soft ground. In the 9 runner field, Garry Whillans settled her in about 4th on the outside and with about 4f left he started niggling her into contention and she hit the front about 2f out. She looked as if she would draw clear but the determined Orsippus thrusted at her late on and she just about held on. I've studied that race many times and I think Garry Whillans thought he had the race sewn up and she actually had a bit more under her belt that day. Nevertheless, the form of this race is extremely strong. The 2nd Orsippus slammed his opposition on his next start upped in class off a 4lb higher mark in a race where the 2nd French Hollow has come out and run a cracker in the Northumberland Plate. The 3rd Spruzzo, who finished 8L behind the front two, romped to a 16L victory off a 1lb lower mark eased in grade on his only subsequent start. Furthermore, the 4th Sohcahtoa finished a 1L beaten 3rd off a 1lb lower mark whilst the 5th My Arch won the other day impressively after being eased 1lb in the weights as well further strengthening rock solid form.
After her victory, she was given an 8lb hike in the weights but she only has a 5lb penalty to carry tomorrow and I think she looks to have an extremely good chance off a mark of 70 given how her last race has worked out. Tomorrow she steps back down to 1m6f which shouldn't be too much of a concern with the steep uphill finish and the ground shouldn't be a problem either (although some rain wouldn't go amiss given this trip is probably very slightly on the sharp side). She's upped into a Class 4 event for the first since joining Micky Hammond but she's clearly very progressive and I really think she's going to take a hell of a beating tomorrow. P J McDonald takes over in the saddle tomorrow for the first time and hopefully he is in this 16 runner field. Trainer Micky Hammond is in very good form at present and I think its very interesting that Rosairlie will be his first runner at Sandown in the past 5 seasons and the yard are making a 7 hour round trip with just one runner. If bagging a good position on the rail from her very good draw in stall 4 and if getting a clear run, I cannot see her out of the placings and I think she is going to be extremely hard to beat. 8/1 represents a massive price in my eyes and if your this way inclined she looks a very nice e/w bet to nothing.
Rosairlie 8/1 NAP
Really, really like Micky Hammond's very progressive 4 year old who I think will be extremely difficult to beat tomorrow. After showing some good promise for Harry Dunlop as a 2 year old, she really didn't progress like I thought she would but since joining Micky Hammond this year her career has really taken off on both the flat and over hurdles. In terms of her hurdling career, she has won her two starts since getting a handicap and she is now rated 110 in that sphere and still looks like she can progress again. In terms of her flat endeavours, she has also been very progressive for Hammond on the flat and has made the frame in all three starts in this sphere. In her first flat start for her new trainer, she ran a cracking 4L beaten 3rd off a mark of 62 at Pontefract over 2m2f and it was an excellent effort on her first flat start in 5 months. The form of that race is very strong with the winner scoring impressively off a 7lb higher mark on his next start whilst the 4th won his next two flat starts including off a 6lb higher mark. It was a really good effort and she's definitely improved again from that effort.
After landing a hurdles race impressively, she returned to the flat off the same mark of 62 at Newcastle on soft ground. After being held up at the back of the field, jockey Garry Whillans got caught napping slightly as Danny Tudhope under an excellent enterprising ride kicked about 8L clear of Rosairlie and that ended up being too much of a deficit as she couldn't make up the ground quick enough over the 2m trip as she eventually went down by 2L, with the 3rd a further 14L back. The form of that race is very strong with the winner Pokfulham finishing a nose 2nd on his next start before winning by the same margin off an 11lb higher mark than his success in this race in better company and Rosairlie really lost absolutely nothing in defeat. On her last start after being raised to a mark of 65 she finally broke her maiden on the flat at the 12th attempt.
A few of you may remember I had put her up as an extremely confident bet LTO and actually commented that I was counting her as a winner before the race had started. She did comply but by the shortest of margins as she landed the 2m Class 5 event at Ripon on good to soft ground. In the 9 runner field, Garry Whillans settled her in about 4th on the outside and with about 4f left he started niggling her into contention and she hit the front about 2f out. She looked as if she would draw clear but the determined Orsippus thrusted at her late on and she just about held on. I've studied that race many times and I think Garry Whillans thought he had the race sewn up and she actually had a bit more under her belt that day. Nevertheless, the form of this race is extremely strong. The 2nd Orsippus slammed his opposition on his next start upped in class off a 4lb higher mark in a race where the 2nd French Hollow has come out and run a cracker in the Northumberland Plate. The 3rd Spruzzo, who finished 8L behind the front two, romped to a 16L victory off a 1lb lower mark eased in grade on his only subsequent start. Furthermore, the 4th Sohcahtoa finished a 1L beaten 3rd off a 1lb lower mark whilst the 5th My Arch won the other day impressively after being eased 1lb in the weights as well further strengthening rock solid form.
After her victory, she was given an 8lb hike in the weights but she only has a 5lb penalty to carry tomorrow and I think she looks to have an extremely good chance off a mark of 70 given how her last race has worked out. Tomorrow she steps back down to 1m6f which shouldn't be too much of a concern with the steep uphill finish and the ground shouldn't be a problem either (although some rain wouldn't go amiss given this trip is probably very slightly on the sharp side). She's upped into a Class 4 event for the first since joining Micky Hammond but she's clearly very progressive and I really think she's going to take a hell of a beating tomorrow. P J McDonald takes over in the saddle tomorrow for the first time and hopefully he is in this 16 runner field. Trainer Micky Hammond is in very good form at present and I think its very interesting that Rosairlie will be his first runner at Sandown in the past 5 seasons and the yard are making a 7 hour round trip with just one runner. If bagging a good position on the rail from her very good draw in stall 4 and if getting a clear run, I cannot see her out of the placings and I think she is going to be extremely hard to beat. 8/1 represents a massive price in my eyes and if your this way inclined she looks a very nice e/w bet to nothing.
HOW !!!! ?? - sick of rain
