Castle Robin the early choice for Sandown’s Masters

ALTHOUGH there were 20 horses among the five-day entries for the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase at Sandown, none of the three bookies who originally priced it up (Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Bet) saw fit to offer four places for each-way betting.

It’s fair to say that was a bit mean considering they were also betting to 192 per cent and would retain every penny of any money placed on subsequent non-runners.

There are two horses entered at Wincanton on Thursday (Tallow For Coal and Moroder) but other than that there are only two other horses with another option at the weekend, so a decent-sized field looks likely.

That means you’re likely to get four places on the day and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that if the field holds up many horses will be at bigger prices on Saturday than they are now.

It’s hard to advise a bet in such circumstances, but I have been waiting for Castle Robin to return to action and the 10-1 on offer is just about acceptable.

He also had an entry at Wincanton on Thursday, but was not declared overnight, so all systems should be go for an attempt on this much more valuable race.

The Charlie Longsdontrained eight-year-old had the look of an improver last season when winning his last two chases and there was plenty to like about his return at Kelso in October, when he travelled well for a long way before lack of fitness told.

Going down by just over 11 lengths to Sounds Russian, who has since run some crackers in defeat (including when second in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday) and is now 11lb higher, was no mean feat and Castle Robin very much looked like the race would bring him on.

He was backed into jointfavouritism for a handicap at the Paddy Power meeting, but was hampered and jumped slowly at the fourth fence and was pulled up before the fifth with his jockey reporting he felt him lose his action.

Castle Robin is most definitely worth another chance, and hopefully the good to soft, soft in places will be considered easy enough for him to take his chance, although there has been a bit of watering in the back straight because it has been so dry.

He’ll be perfectly fine on good to soft and has relatively low mileage. While either or both of Rapper and Slipway, both comfortable winners when last seen, could line up, they have looked very strong stayers and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if they went to Musselburgh for the Edinburgh National.