Sandown Gold Cup: Tom Collins hopes last year's unlucky loser will exact revenge

Last year’s edition of Sandown’s featured 3m5f Gold Cup Handicap Chase is impossible to forget. 

A controversial stewards’ decision that saw the Alan King-trained Potterman awarded victory after late interference between Enrilo and Kitty’s Light, first and third past the post respectively, left some describing the event as a “disgrace” and a “farce”. He was the third-best horse in the field after all. Let's hope for a cleaner finish to the showpiece event on the jumps finale card 12 months on.

The aforementioned trio return for a hotly-anticipated rematch - a sour taste was left in the mouth for in-form trainers Paul Nicholls and Christian Williams last year and they rightly want their representatives to make amends.

Williams, who seems to have won every big staying chase outside of the major festivals this season, will look to cap off an extraordinary year at Sandown. Just three weeks ago he watched Win My Wings lead home Kitty’s Light for a famous one-two for the yard in the Scottish Grand National, and the pair are back once again alongside inconsistent stablemate Cap Du Nord.

Impressive Ayr victor Win My Wings (8) has been hit with a 14lb penalty for her Scottish National romp - and rightly so. Seldom do you witness a big-field handicap chase won with such ease that the handicapper had to take an aggressive approach to her mark. She’ll have to be a Grade 2 horse to justify her rise and I don’t think that’s the case, but you have to respect her after a glittering season.

Win My Wings: winner of the Eider Chase and Scottish Grand National

On the other hand, the diminutive but lovable Kitty’s Light (5.7) was only given a 2lb hike for his Ayr display and deserves a big-race victory after a number of valiant efforts in defeat this term. Four runner-up finishes from seven starts has left him off a mark 6lb higher than 12 months ago and, although he has been primed for this heat and clearly relishes the track and trip, I just can’t weigh in at the prices.

Many believed that he was the best horse in last year’s renewal of this race, but I’m not convinced. Of course he caught the eye with his lung-bursting finish - he appeared to be sprinting up the hill when others were walking - but he was given the perfect ride and was let into the race by Enrilo’s tendency to hang left under pressure.

This 3m5f trip clearly stretches Enrilo’s stamina, but his high cruising speed and generally spectacular jumping holds him in good stead around this track. It was the latter trait that actually let him down last year as he looked to be establishing an insurmountable advantage at the second-last fence only to plough through the birch and lose all momentum. 

It was to his and rider Harry Cobden’s credit that he regained his stride and led the field towards the last fence. With 100 yards to run he was still in front, but the energy it took to get going again after his crucial mistake two-out left the petrol tank on empty up the hill. 

Enrilo’s first two runs this term weren’t overly inspiring, but he bounced right back to form in first-time cheekpieces at Kempton in February and has been freshened up with this race in mind. He’s just 1lb higher than this time last year (better off with Potterman and Kitty’s Light) and can gain revenge for his 2021 disqualification.

Others worth mentioning include Flegmatik (12), who is chasing a hat-trick after two impressive victories at Kempton. He is running off a new career-high mark (9lb higher than when last successful) and takes a big step up in trip, so there are a number of questions that he has to answer.

Musical Slave (8.6) is another in-form rival running off a lofty mark, but he has more on his side with stamina assured and prior course form at Sandown. His jumping often lets him down, but a clear round would see him in the frame. 

Recommended bet

Enrilo @ 5.9