Racing Post

Gerri passes Sandown’s stern test with flying colours

The Grand National-winning former jockey analyses how the Irish raider lived up to his tall reputation in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase

LEIGHTON ASPELL

THE two-and-a-half-mile start at Sandown can be a daunting proposition for a novice chaser as they immediately face the challenge of the Railway fences.

Wisely, all five riders in Saturday’s Grade 1 Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase gave themselves some space

leaving the tape to get a good view of the line of three fences.

There are 14 or 15 strides between fence one and fence two before a shorter ten or 11 strides between fences two and three. How you jump these three early fences will determine your early position in the race.

Balco Coastal and Nico de Boinville took them along at a nice gallop with the other four riders looking happy with their early positions facing up to the Pond fence, but it was jumping the big open ditch in the straight that we saw the first sign that one of the jockeys wasn’t content with how his race was going.

Harry Cobden moved Monmiral upsides Balco Coastal to try to generate some extra enthusiasm from his mount and it appeared to have the desired effect with Monmiral grabbing hold of the bridle and beginning to stride along purposefully up towards the top bend.

Down towards the More Lane fence at Sandown is another good test for a novice chaser as it comes at a time when a horse is building momentum and they can often find this fence coming towards them very quickly. All bar Balco Coastal jumped it well and this is where the eventual winner, Gerri Colombe, first entered the picture.

His good jump pitched him between the two leaders heading into the back straight and towards the famous line of seven fences. Over the next three fences the lead was exchanged two or three times during which I think Monmiral

began to feel the intensity of Sandown’s jumping test.

Meanwhile, Gerri Colombe’s confidence was growing and it was a beautiful sight to watch him landing over one fence and then immediately looking for the next. His first experience of a British water jump was faultless.

He led them down to the Railway fences for the second time, jumping the first two really well until Jordan Gainford pressed for take-off on stride number ten heading into the third only for Gerri Colombe to decide he wanted an extra stride. That meant he got in under the fence and, although clean over it, it just slowed him a little. This is something that he will improve at with age and experience.

His slow jump allowed Balco Coastal to regain the lead towards the Pond fence and his injection of pace briefly had his rivals in trouble.

A good jump at the Pond fence put Balco Coastal well and truly in the driving seat. However, on switching Gerri Colombe to the outside of the leader, Gainford found he had a very willing partner who really hit top gear after the second-last.

Although a little tight at the last, he ultimately ran out a very impressive winner, in the process looking like a horse with a bright future in the staying chase division.

THE LAST WORD

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2023-02-06T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-06T08:00:00.0000000Z

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