Sport

Look out for the Direct Route

Stick to a winning system today at Sandown

Sat Dec 04 1999 - 00:00

Stick to a winning system today at Sandown. If it's the first Saturday in December it must be time to look out for Direct Route.

For the fourth year running Howard Johnson is sending the classy two-miler down from County Durham to Esher for the track's big jumps meeting, and only once has his stable-star failed to bring home the Christmas money - when a close fifth in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle in 1996.

The following season Direct Route outpointed some better-fancied southern horses in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase.

And 12 months ago he proved himself one of the best chasers in the country as he graduated to the top of the bill with a two-and-half-length victory in the feature Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy.

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He can repeat the feat today. Last year's runner-up Edredon Bleu will again be in opposition this time, and the progressive Get Real deserves this step up in class.

But that front-running pair should set the race up perfectly for Direct Route, who is best held up for as late a challenge as possible.

Direct Route will be 10 lb better off with Paul Nicholls' Flagship Uberalles, who beat him by just half a length in last month's William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter and can turn the tables.

Following Martin Pipe in the William Hill Hurdle has also proved a successful formula in the past decade.

Corporal Clinger, Liadett, Balasani, Valfinet and Make A Stand have all won the race - formerly known as the Mecca Bookmakers Hurdle - since 1988.

Rodock looks poised to follow in their hoofprints. The exFrench gelding did amazingly well to win a hot handicap at Cheltenham last month on just his third start over jumps.

So well in fact that he has been backed for the Champion Hurdle itself since.

Today's "Showcase Handicap" looks the perfect stepping-stone for him.

North Of Kala is one to look out for in the Doug Barrott Novices' Handicap Hurdle after demolishing the opposition in a similar event at Wincanton last month.

Sent to the front early in the straight that day, he bounded clear and won easing up by fully 17 lengths with the remainder well strung out.

At Chepstow, the Coral Rehearsal Chase is unlikely to prove so significant as in the past two seasons, in each of which the three-mile contest was won by See More Business.

Best bet this year may be the reappearing Super Coin, who won first-time-out in 1998/9 and is facing out-of-form rivals.