Horse racing: David Pipe looks ahead to his runners at Sandown
THIS rain just doesn’t stop.
It’s getting pretty annoying now and it was a shame to lose this afternoon’s meeting at Sandown.
We had planned to run both DELFACE and RATHLIN ROSE, so we will have to have a rethink with them.
That said, there are plans to reschedule RATHLIN ROSE’s race for tomorrow, so he may still get his day out.
Let’s just hope it stops raining and we can get the meeting on.
The feature race tomorrow is the Imperial Cup (2.30pm) and we have declared MAIN FACT who bolted up at Wetherby on Monday.
He surprised us a bit as he races a bit lazily, but he doesn’t half finish off his races well.
The ground will be no issue for him, and Fergus [Gillard] will keep the ride.
We’ve decided to put some sheepskin cheekpieces on him as that may just help him a little.
His owners are having a whale of a time and they cannot believe their luck.
Let’s hope the bandwagon keeps on rolling and he can continue his run.
He does hold an entry in the County Hurdle at the Festival next week, but it’s unlikely he would get in even if he won.
We can dream, though. I still haven’t finalised plans for the EBF Final (1.55pm) but there is a good chance both EDEN DU HOUX and FIRST LORD DE CUET could take their chance.
The former was a good third at Ascot last time and is in good form.
As for FIRST LORD DE CUET, he has had a wind operation since his last run and also won’t mind the ground.
I’ll be back next week with updates on my Festival runners who all seem in good form. Touch wood.