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Siam Park couldn't help but put in mistake after mistake at Sandown.
He struggled massively with the jumping test and never looked comfortable at the track. He eventually fell, but thankfully, he got back up.
Henri The Second had every chance of winning, but was ponderous over the last obstacle, which saw enough momentum lost to not catch the winner.
Dashing Donkey 9/1 (0.5pt EW, 4pl) – Southwell 1.00
With all of the jumps meetings being abandoned due to the cold weather, it has left me with Southwell on the all-weather. These types of races aren't ones I would usually go to, but with nothing else on in the UK, there's not much I can do about it.
In races like this, I think having form from a higher-class race is what you want. Dashing Donkey won twice on the turf at Newmarket last year, both in Class 5 races, and he returned with a solid fourth of eight at Lingfield last time out.
William Stone and his stable found that racing prominently and setting the pace on Dashing Donkey was what he wanted. Georgie Dobie struck up a good partnership with him, being on him for both of his wins.
There is often a lot of pace angles in the big field all-weather races, so getting an uncontested lead isn't going to be easy, but if he's prominent, it should be good enough.
He has won over a mile, so a fast pace isn't going to hinder his chances with him having the added stamina. The form of his return at Lingfield has started to work out nicely.
The runner-up was second next time out, and the third has been beaten 0.75L and a head on his next two starts.
Knight Of Magic 3/1 (1pt) – Southwell 4.35
James Owen has been one of the real success stories in jumps and flat racing over the last couple of years. He manages to acquire horses from stables when they are out of form and bring them back to life again.
Sometimes it doesn't happen instantly, and I think Knight Of Magic falls in that category, but he's started to show improved form.
He raced prominently last time out in a slightly better race and didn't last home after going clear with three furlongs to travel.
The handicap mark remains untouched, and against lower-rated horses, he might be able to get away with it this time around.
GambleAware