Posted on Sunday, 17th April 2011 by Kiara Weber

“Balthazar King…has plenty of things in his favour, chief among which is that he looks highly likely to improve in the face of an even stiffer test of stamina, an excellent response to pressure having been a hallmark of his best efforts this term.”

Timeform try to locate the value for the season-ending showpiece at Sandown this Saturday…

The one at the top of the market is Balthazar King. He didn’t need to improve to win a novice at Cheltenham last week, so it ‘s to his benefit that the conditions of this race are such that he won’t carry a penalty on Saturday. He has plenty of things in his favour, chief among which is that he looks highly likely to improve in the face of an even stiffer test of stamina, an excellent response to pressure having been a hallmark of his best efforts this term. A prominent racer who jumps fluently in the main, Balthazar King is effective on the fast ground that will likely prevail on Saturday, and though he needs to progress to defy a mark of 140 on what will be his first outing in a handicap chase, that looks a likely scenario.

The top hunter chaser around, Baby Run, is a fascinating contender running in just his second ever handicap, and he is currently disputing favouritism with Balthazar King, currently available to back at [6.6]. Baby Run’s handicap mark is 136, and that is probably touch on the lenient side judged on the pick of his exploits in hunters. Neither stamina nor ground will be issues for Baby Run, and the fact that the race at Sandown comes just over a fortnight after his big effort at Aintree isn’t of major concern given how tough and reliable he has been throughout his career.

Philip Hobbs has won two of the last five renewals of the race and besides Balthazar King he is also set to be represented by Triggerman (trades at [15.5]), who comes out top on Timeform ratings. Like his stablemate, Triggerman also won at Cheltenham last week, landing a 25-furlong handicap chase in first-time cheekpieces. That Cheltenham race was by no means a strong affair, but there’s little doubt that it took some improvement on Triggerman’s part to prevail, which has to make him of some interest off the same mark at Sandown.

Aimigayle is a really likeable mare who got right back to her best when runner-up to Holmwood Legend in the Byrne Group Plate at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, responding most gamely to pressure to keep on over a trip that is short of her best. She has never run over further than 25 furlongs, but shapes as if she will stay and probably isn’t handicapped out of things off 133.

Poker de Sivola has only been seen four times since winning the NH Chase at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, and he hasn’t shown his form on any of those occasions. Admittedly, he didn’t really get the chance to show either way what sort of form he is in last weekend’s Scottish National when he unseated after getting badly hampered. He is feasibly handicapped off 136 judged on his NH Chase form, but his rather disjointed campaign tempers enthusiasm somewhat, for all his trainer is adept at getting one to pop up in one of the big spring handicaps.

Meanus Dandy looks the better of Paul Nicholls two entries and he will reportedly be the mount of Ruby Walsh on Saturday. He looked a staying handicap chaser to follow when winning the Badger Ales at Wincanton in first-time blinkers back in the autumn, but hasn’t been so good in two outings since, first in the Becher at Aintree and then in the Grimthorpe at Doncaster in March, when, not for the first time, he produced a particularly tame finish. That Badger Ales form didn’t work out particularly well and Meanus Dandy is difficult to rate with much confidence at present, though obviously the yard’s runners are always afforded the greatest of respect.

Can’t Buy Time is another who can’t be rated with any great confidence having failed to show anything close to his best form in five starts this season, but there’s not much doubt he’s now a dangerously well treated horse based on what he did when winning a handicap chase off 141 at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day 2010. He’ll probably have McCoy back in the saddle on Saturday and could well be the sort to bounce back.

Maktu is another that needs mentioning as he’s potentially well handicapped after a career-best second to Rey Nacarado at Newbury last time. That said, there’s a feeling that may have been his big opportunity, with Ruby Walsh in the saddle, and his yard remains nearly a year without a winner.

Others worth mentioning include last year’s winner Church Island (getting on a bit and faces a tougher task this time around), Iconoclast (progressive but not a fluent jumper), Gentle Ranger (potentially well handicapped but none too consistent) who is progressing but needs to brush up his jumping, Gentle Ranger

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Tags: Balthazar King, King
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