Sandown Park

Tanlic

Tanlic

Senior Jockey
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Dec 6, 2011
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Is it my imagination or is Sandown which has been a major venue for NH racing in the past going further and further downhill each year?

I remember Arkle knocking 16 seconds of the track record when he beat Mill Hose out of sight giving him lumps of weight in The Gallaher Gold Cup

The Whitbread was regarded as one of the best races of the year with horses like What A Myth, Larbawn, Diamon Edge, Arkle, Mill House, The Dickler, Titus Oats, Mr Frisk, Desert Orchid etc wiining the race. Everyone of them a class act but nowadays it attracts horses who would be tailed off after a circuit in the Gold Cup.

The Imperial Cup isn't much better no Ekblaco's or Floyds these days .

Do they even have a Grade 1 or Grade 2 chase over 3 miles?

Only race that ssems to matter there is the Tingle Creek but the excitment stop there.

When I was a young man my fav race after the Champion Hurdle was the Whirbread and my ambition was to go to Sandown. It was 14 years ago before I did go and I couldn't believe how big a dump it was. Nothing like you imagine from the telly.

I don't know if it's changed much since then but the likes of Haydock would have put the place to shame the last time I was there.
 
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The Scilly Isle Chase is one of the worst Group 1 races on the calendar. The Bet365 Gold Cup has declined even in my 15 years as a racing fan.

I remember the days of Beau, Life of a Lord and Ad Hoc, serious chasers. Now we have the following role of honour:

2005 Jack High
2006 Lacdoudal
2007 Hot Weld
2008 Monkerhostin
2009 Hennessy
2010 Church Island
2011 Poker de Sivola

Even the Grade 2 chase they were gifted the Foot and Mouth year has fallen down the pecking order.

It has gone from Edredon Bleu – Cenkos – Seebald – Well Chief all the way down to River City – Dempsey – Andreas – I’m So Lucky and French Opera.

The facilities are actually not bad, if a little soulless. The place got tarted up at the turn of the century. Viewing is very good, given the configuration of the track.

And I have had a few decent summer days watching flat racing in the middle of the course with a bag of cans.
 
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I think there are few better places for watching NH racing anywhere. A couple of the big races may have slipped back a bit but the cards are as consitstently strong across all races anywhere outside of Cheltenham I believe

The course looked a bit tatty a couple of years back but calling it a dump is a bit wild. There is probably not better course for viewing and the general layout cannot be beaten anywhere

It snot worth paying extra into members but always worth looking for the touts around the main gates
 
Sandown is a great course

cheltneham, newbury, kempton and Ascot are the top 4
Aintree has a very good meeting in April.


Of the rest
sandown has better cards than Haydock, Warwick, Chepstow, Wetherby, Exeter or Wincanton
 
Yes suny. Kempton attracts good horses because the trainers love it as a course. Ascot is an odd one for jumps. It still feels like a flat course that just happens to have some jump racing (which is what it is really) despite good cards

I really like Newbury but it has (might just be a perception) more bad races than the others
 
clivex said:
I think there are few better places for watching NH racing anywhere. A couple of the big races may have slipped back a bit but the cards are as consitstently strong across all races anywhere outside of Cheltenham I believe

The course looked a bit tatty a couple of years back but calling it a dump is a bit wild. There is probably not better course for viewing and the general layout cannot be beaten anywhere

It snot worth paying extra into members but always worth looking for the touts around the main gates
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I'd strongly agree with all this. The second best course for jumps, and by some way.
 
Ascot always looks dead when the Jumps are on. Shame.


I remember going to see Suny Bay beating Escartefigue and See More Business at Haydock during a midweek meeting in the late 90s. It was a great track for Jumps in those days - until they fecked the obstacles up.

Sandown is on my to do list for sure, but I think I'd rather do the Eclipse than a Jumps fixture.
 
Euronymous said:
Sandown is on my to do list for sure, but I think I'd rather do the Eclipse than a Jumps fixture.
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Travelled over for Oratorios Eclipse in 2005, and went to the Greyhound Derby that night. A long day but had a ball, and everyone really enjoyed Sandown
 
it has to be visited Euro. its one of those courses when any day is good really but much as i always enjoy the eclipse and rarely miss, i do think it comes into its own over the sticks. Especially the two mile chases and those railways fences. One of racings great spectacles

What i also like about it is that is that the pre parade, winners enclosure and paddock are all very convenient, beautifully laid out and very easy observe from (unlike York say). You find you get into the whole experience. And the view over london (especially on a cleatr night) is something else too
 
I don't deny that it is a good course, especially for viewing.

But I think the quality of racing has deteriorated a lot. Surprised you disagree, Clive. I must do a bit of research and see which of us is right. Probably you, unfortunately.
 
Euronymous said:
Ascot always looks dead when the Jumps are on. Shame.


I remember going to see Suny Bay beating Escartefigue and See More Business at Haydock during a midweek meeting in the late 90s. It was a great track for Jumps in those days - until they fecked the obstacles up.

Sandown is on my to do list for sure, but I think I'd rather do the Eclipse than a Jumps fixture.
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Ive been there a lot Euro and its much better for jumps.
 
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