My arrows apart from the above mentioned King Torus San 2-00 Vosnee Romanee ew (loss recovery!) 2-35 Argocat 3-15 Sprinter Sacre for old times sake 3-50 Paint The Clouds 4-25 Rayvin Black to spoil the Box Office party Rip 1-45 Flemish School ew Hay 2-20 Eurystheus ew Good luck all
Afternoon all here is todays darts at Sandown. 2.00 - Vosne Romanee - Travelled like the class horse in his last race in which many of these reoppose, appeared to get tired quickly that day and faded but i would put that down to 2 things, ground conditions with a little bit too much cut and that the front runners(him included) went too hard in the early stages(apart from Sternrubin) and it set the race up for finishers. Back on good fast ground i can see plenty of improvement and he has been dropped 1lb also. I would rate Old Guard a danger, he gave plenty of weight away to Lil Rockerfeller when they finished 2nd and 3rd and he meets him on much better terms today and that would give him good form lines with almost the whole field - Saver on him. 2.35 - Al Ferof - Menorah won this last year in a canter but had absolutely nothing near as good as Al Ferof in competition. He is a proven Grade 1 performer who stays this trip strongly. ground conditions look to suit, its his 2nd run after having throat surgery to help his breathing and most importantly he is an accurate jumper of a fence which is required around here, Menorah on the other hand you will know what to expect after the first 3 fences as he has a tendency to spit the dummy. 3.15 - Vibrato Valtat - Reasons on first page. 3.50 - Paint the Clouds/Bobs Worth - Paint the Clouds looked set to run a cracker on the Foxhunters but the rain on the last day went against him but he still ran a creditable race in 3rd, his mark hasnt been raised from that race either. Back to better ground conditions will suit him and unlike many of todays opponents he has proven to stay a marathon trip. This is his first run in open handicap company since the 2013 Martin Pipe but he jumps fences beautifully and could easily be well in at 137. Bobs Worth is becoming more and more of a forgotten horse after a few lacklustre performances but we all know he just finds more and more and this is the first time since last years gold cup he has decent ground. He was giving an easy time of it after his chance had gone this year and amazingly hes now rated 21lbs lower than when he won the 2013 Lexus. That seems like quite an over reaction, he is the class act in this field and on a given day would win this easily, if he runs poorly expect him to be retired soon after.
On a day which is, quite rightly, all about the true legend AP McCoy, I find myself drawn to a couple of jockey doubles at Sandown. Firstly, Dicky Johnson's first 2 mounts, Sternrubin and Menorah, then the Nico de Boinville show on Sprinter Sacre and Bobs Worth. Add in McCoy's "banker" Box Office and we have a nice little Lucky 31.
Surely AP will win on his last ever ride, the topically named Box Office at Sandown! Well TBH, AP has never wanted to be box office in his career, everyone knows him as always being down to earth. But if he does win, you'll never hear a louder cheer in the winners enclosure at Sandown Park!
Afternoon all.Still cant believe today is the last time we will see the legend in the saddle!Will have a sentimental punt on box office as I'll never live it down if it wins! 3 from 3 differant courses for me: Haydock 2.20 -Price of Joannes 12ew Sandown 3.50-Special Tiara win 7/2 Limerick 4.20-Roheryn win 7/2
I expect I'm in a minority of one, but I'm getting a bit sick of this media overload regarding AP Legend though he is and fully deserved, he isn't dying, just retiring. There is almost a obsessional need to get some kind of eulogy from anyone who ever knew him. Maybe it's just the times we live in.
I wonder how long STD will keep that job, 2 races poor positions on both, doubt he would have won on either but not giving horses best chance.
15:50 Sandown - Unioniste (The old 'Whitbread' was often a tough one to solve, but I'll go with this French-bred. Didn't get too far in the Grand National, so wouldn't have got too puffed-out. Softer ground would have been better, but he'll do for my Saturday bet).
I reckon this chanelle lass is breaking ap's ball at home, all nicey and innocent on the tele,leave the legend be, has another few years in him! she is a she devil for sure
Agreed. The modest man he is, guess he was expecting this but he'll be glad once it's all over! Lots of hype about his retirement but fully justified. As Nicky Henderson said, he's the ultimate professional.
Having read his autobiography I'd say she's put up with enough **** from him over the years ste. She's due a few easy years without worrying whether he's going to break a leg or even worse every day
