Razor Royale

Razor Royale's finishing position in the three-mile handicap chase at Sandown on Saturday does him no justice. He was well back in the early stages of the race, he was a little awkward over one or two of his fences, and he wasn’t that happy going around the paddock turn, but in spite of all of that, he had manoeuvred his way into a good position by the middle of the back straight, and he was back travelling well and in with a big chance, when a bad mistake at the second of the Railway Fences ended all hope, and Sam Twiston-Davies wasn't hard on him thereafter.

He had a big chance in this race, his first run over three miles since he won an amateur riders' race at Cheltenham in November by a distance, beating The Sawyer, winner of two competitive handicaps on his last two starts, into second place. Since then he has run more than creditably twice over two miles and five furlongs, most notably when he finished second behind Poquelin in the Boylesports Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December. He was right there until the second last that day, one of just four horses who could have won the race going around the home turn, and he stayed on well up the hill to keep second spot, albeit seven lengths behind the winner, who is now favourite for the Ryanair Chase at the Festival. He ran well enough on his subsequent run over the same course and distance on New Year's Day when fourth to Can't Buy Time but, while his Boylesports run subtly suggested that he needed to go back up in trip, that run screamed it.

There is a chance that the son of Oscar will be under-rated a little now on the back of an ostensibly disappointing run last time (it seems that the handicapper was disappointed, given that he has dropped him 2lb for it), but he will be of major interest now in a handicap off his current mark of 141 if he runs next over three miles. He is in the Racing Post Chase, and he would be of interest in that. He would also be interesting if he skipped Kempton and went for the William Hill Chase at the Festival instead, given his good record at Cheltenham.

6th February 2010

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