Corrigeen Rock bids to boost Lucinda Russell's Sandown record

Saturday: 1.50 Sandown
Unibet Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Chase | 1m7½f | 5yo+ | ITV/RTV

Corrigeen Rock might have less than two miles to run in this race, but he will do over 900 in a horse box to get here and back to Kinross.

It almost goes without saying that Lucinda Russell will not enter one at Sandown lightly and her record here underlines that: she is 3-16 at the track in her career. Interestingly, she is 2-4 since the start of last season so she is seemingly getting better at picking just the right horse.

Corrigeen Rock is evidently in that category, as he won over course and distance last month just as stablemate Douglas Talking had in February. Both made use of aggressive rides facilitated by their free-going ways to make the best of Sandown's configuration, which puts a heavy emphasis on rhythm.

There is no question that Corrigeen Rock is stepping up significantly in grade here. Last season, the top two in this race were among the principals in the most prestigious two-mile handicap chases in the calendar: Frero Banbou was third in the Grand Annual, while The Last Day won the Red Rum when last seen.

You could argue he has bigger concerns than those two. The Last Day looks to be on the path back to Aintree and on recent evidence Frero Banbou may only just be getting going up the Sandown hill. Fellow last-time-out winners Dreams Of Home and Xcitations are just as solid at this level. Xcitations has better form, but Dreams Of Home will revel in the mud.

The biggest threat of all could be Grey Diamond. He travelled as well as any on his reappearance in a race at Cheltenham's November meeting, before getting tired up the hill. He is a heavy-ground winner and a course-and-distance winner (the only winner at Sandown for Sam Thomas as a trainer), and on this weekend last year he jumped the last upsides at Wincanton only to slither on landing.

While the romantic idea is that the winner of this race will come from Scotland, the pragmatic choice is trained in Wales.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

'This is going to be a real test for him'

Corrigeen Rock goes up in grade at Sandown on Saturday after a thumping win at the course last month marked him down as a progressive handicapper, at the very least.

Trained by Lucinda Russell for the Caledonian Racing Society, Corrigeen Rock was hiked up the handicap by 9lb after scoring by a comfortable seven lengths over track and trip, his second win in two completed starts over fences.

In his other start over fences, he fell on his chase debut after overjumping an obstacle, but had been sent off as the 11-10 favourite.

This contest represents a key marker for Corrigeen Rock as to which way his future might go, with Russell eager to see how he copes with the stiffer competition.

"He's unexposed and we don't know how far up the grades he can go – this is going to be a real test for him and is going to tell us a lot in terms of what we do in the future," she said.

"He was pretty impressive last time and the form has worked out quite well too, which is positive. He's up in grade and he's up 9lb for that effort last time, so it's going to be a bigger test for him.

"It will depend on how he copes with it and I would rather they didn't get any more rain before the race."

The Last Day: Red Rum winner makes his seasonal reappearanceCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

What they say

Evan Williams, trainer of The Last Day
He's a lovely old boy who has been plagued by leg trouble. He won his big race at Aintree last spring and is high in the weights now. If he can win some prize-money I'll be delighted. It's a good place to start.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Frero Banbou
He was due to step up in trip at Cheltenham before Christmas at the meeting that was abandoned, so we've gone back to his original trip for this race. Hopefully he'll run a good race as a result.

Pam Sly, trainer of Xcitations
He's well and I'm quite hopeful of a good run from him. Jack Andrews has ridden him before, so knows him, and he and the second were a long way clear when he won last time.

Sam Thomas, trainer of Grey Diamond
He's going back to a track that he loves and the ground will be right up his street. That said, he's not particularly well handicapped so we're going to have to hope for some luck.

Jane Williams, trainer of Gladiateur Allen
We call him 'mad and bad' at home. He settled at Lingfield but we'd made it a very fast pace with our own horse, so we cooked his goose with our other one. He's very talented and one of these days we'll find the key to him.
Reporting by Peter Scargill

Read more of Saturday's previews:

12.40 Sandown: 'We've had this race in mind all season' - Love Envoi primed for Listed success

1.15 Sandown: Gemirande out to sparkle for in-form Williams and Deutsch combination

1.30 Wincanton: 'He seems in great form' - Messire Des Obeaux returns after latest setback

2.25 Sandown: 'I couldn't be more pleased with him' - trainers on the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle

3.00 Sandown: Can Evan do it again? Prime Venture bids to repeat £100,000 veterans' final win

3.35 Sandown: 'He's still quite well treated' - who will win this competitive handicap hurdle?

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