SANDOWN, where the Edward O'Grady-trained Sound Man will attempt on Saturday to win the Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy Chase for the second successive year, soaked up 11 millimetres of rain yesterday morning, yet clerk of the course Andrew Cooper was unable to alter his going report from good with good to firm patches on the chase course.
"It is on the fast side of good between the last two fences in the home straight and in the middle of the back straight even after the rain, but the hurdles course is almost all good," he said.
"There is some chance of more rain in the next 36 hours but what we had today may prove to be the bulk of the rain we will see this week. However even if it stays dry I don't think the ground will alter considerably.
"It is incredible how well courses are taking the rain. We had four inches in November and unlike Ascot we have been watering the jumps course since July."
Arthur Moore is delaying a decision about whether to send his Champion Chase winner, Klairon Davis, for the race until later in the week. However, the seven-year-old is at his best when there is a cut in the ground.
Eight horses have been left in the race at the five-day stage, and they include the David Nicholson pair, the 1994 winner, Viking Flagship, whom Adrian Maguire has elected to ride, and Storm Alert, a five-lengths second to Sound Man last year. Another interesting probable is Ask Tom, who was highly impressive when beating Nakir at Newbury at the weekend.
Teinein, facile winner of both his starts this season, was yesterday installed clear favourite to complete a hat-trick for Saturday's other big event at Sandown, the William Hill Handicap Hurdle.
The Tim Forster-trained challenger is the 9 to 2 market leader with the sponsors, the same price with Ladbrokes but only a 4 to chance with Coral. Hills then offer 7 to 1 against the Martin Pipe runner Potentate, 8 to 1 Embellished, 9 to 1 Mister Morose, 10 to 1 Silver Groom, 12 to 1 Direct Route. Last year's winner Chiefs Song is among the 14 to 1 shots.
The ground at Sandown will determine how many of the 24 five-day acceptors make the line up. But Forster's assistant Henry Daly warned conditions had to remain good or softer if Teinein is to take his chance. Champion jockey Tony McCoy has been declared to ride the five-year-old.
