2008 Sandown Classic – 15 November 2008

The $350,000 Group 2 Sandown Classic is a weight-for-age race over 2400 metres, and has attracted a small but high quality field of ten stayers. It is the 121st Sandown Classic which was formerly known as the Sandown Cup as a quality handicap that was altered to weight-for-age conditions in 1999.

The early market has Zipping as a clear favourite at $2.40. Zipping won this race last year, and his last race was a respectable ninth in the Melbourne Cup. The weight-for-age scale means the seven-year-old will not rise in weight from last years win. No horse has achieved back-to-back wins in ths race since Second Wind in 1930 and 1931.

The next five horse in the early market are all fairly close, with Red Ruler at $7, Douro Valley at $7.50, Capecover and Light Vision both at $8 and Baughurst at $8.50. 

Red Ruler is one of three New Zealand horses in the race (the other two are Capecover and Boundless). His last start was a seventh in the Mackinnon behind Theseo, after a luckless sixth in the Caulfield Cup.

Douro Valley is a Group1 winner who was the runner-up to Master O’Reilly in last year’s Caulfield Cup and won at weight-for-age in the Yalumba Stakes over 2000metres at Caulfield two starts back.

Capecover won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2500 metres last Saturday, after a fast finishing third in the SAAB Quality the week before. He carried 53.5kg last week and will find the weight-for-age conditions much tougher, with 59kg to carry.

Light Vision has performed well in Australia with a win and several placings. His last two starts he was second in the SAAB Quality and second in the Queen Elizabeth behind Capecover. He is the type of horse who never runs a bad race. Baughurst has also been in the first three at his last five starts.

Boundless is a Group 1 winner of the New Zealand Oaks over this distance, and trainer Anthony Cummings is certain that Road To Rock will handle the rise in class after his 2000 metre win last week. Overall there are many chances in this race and whoever wins it should be a great battle.

by Jo Jackson