SIMMERING SIMBER

LONDON: Novice chaser Simber Hill can put seasoned campaigners to the sword by winning the Alvis Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown Park Tobago.

The eight-year-old, trained by Philip Hobbs, tackles this steeplechase which is restricted to past or present military personnel fresh from a four-month break. He has not been out since lifting a three-mile novice event at Taunton at the end of October by a length and a quarter from Lorgnette. And he did enjoy a successful summer taking open handicaps at Stratford and Uttoxeter. Open to further improvement, Simber Hill can capture this ?12,000-added contest over an extended three miles. The other race over the same trip and also open only to amateurs is the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Memorial Hunters’ Chase.  Mr Smudge can give his supporters a good run for their money. He was a winner at Cheltenham last May and won a point-to-to point recently.  Rudolf Rassendyll can defy a 7lb penalty for a recent success at Chepstow in the Thales Defences Novices’ Handicap Chase. Trainer Venetia Williams has her horses in top form at present and Rudolf Rasendyll ran out an easy winner of a handicap chase over two miles three and a half furlongs at the Welsh track.

Sent into the lead at the fourth-last fence, the eight-year-old was soon clear and was eased on the run-in to score effortlessly by four lengths from Stormhill Stag. His stamina for this extended three miles has to be taken on trust but the gelding by Supreme Leader looks worth the risk.  Tollbrae can go one better in the H.M.S. Sandown Novices’ Hurdle after being short-headed by Spud One at Huntingdon. Nicky Henderson’s grey gelding just could not quite get to the grips with the winner despite pulling seven lengths clear of the third horse home King Claudius. Third to Petolinski at the same course on his previous start, Tollbrae’s consistency can finally be rewarded with a first hurdles’ success. At Ayr, the best could be Emperor’s Magic in the Arthur Challenge Cup Handicap Chase. Richard Guest cannot do anything wrong since he took over the licence at Norman Mason’s stable in County Durham recently and another winner can come the way of the latest recruit to the training ranks. And at Hereford, Throwaline can hopefully round off a profitable day for the Hobbs stable by landing the Tanners Champagne Novices’ Hurdle. Throwaline made a highly-promising hurdling debut when running No Collusion to a length and a half at Fontwell a month ago. As that was his first outing since he won a bumper on his racecourse debut at Wincanton a year earlier, more improvement is surely forthcoming.

SELECTIONS:

SANDOWN: 2.15 Monte Cristo, 2.50 Rudolf Rassendyll, 3.30 SIMBER HILL (NAP), 4.00 Double Account, 4.30 Mr Smudge, 5.05 Tollbrae.
AYR: 2.35 Brave Effect, 3.10 The Rile, 3.50 Rosalyons, 4.20 Emperor’s Magic, 4.50 Charlieadams, 5.20 Workaway.
HEREFORD: 12.45 Buckskin Lad, 1.20 Knightsbridge King, 1.50 Throwaline, 2.25 Athnowen, 3.00 Madam Mosso, 3.40 Golfagent, 4.10 Devonshire.
DOUBLE: Simber Hill and Rudolf Rassendyll.