SANDOWN PARK 14:25

All 22 ran. Hurdles: 8.

Time: 4m 11.6s Closing Sectional: (6.05f): 95.1s (100.2%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 130%, Betfair SP 106.4%

For seemingly the umpteenth time in a valuable handicap hurdle in recent years this ended up being turned into a rout by an Irish-trained one - the only one in the field - just a matter of days before Britain embarks on an unlikely quest to stem such a tide at the Cheltenham Festival; whilst the winner made conditions look entirely undemanding, several of the big guns floundered badly, with the favourite one of many out of it by the time the pace really lifted approaching the second last, the front 2 almost certainly at an advantage making their move from rear out wide as those towards the inner gave way.

SUPRISE PACKAGE was helped by the way things developed, played wide and late as he was, yet an Irish-trained hurdler - especially one who'd threatened to win more than one at home - dominating a British handicap is hardly difficult to explain in the current climate and may well set the tone for the coming days; held up, smooth headway around field entering straight, produced to lead before last, forged clear; he'll be well-in under a penalty for the County but other raiders who've yet to show their hand to this extent may well turn out even better handicapped.

LIVELY CITIZEN (IRE) did more to prove he's better than ever this season, taking his form figures when completing under this good-value conditional to 121, doing enough to see off the rest having made his move a little before the winner but on the same part of the track; mid-division, headway to lead out wide approaching 2 out, headed before last, left behind by winner run-in, kept on.

HACKER DES PLACES (FR) ran at least as well in defeat as when winning a much softer race from 4 lb lower the time before, deserving extra credit if anything considering everything else in the first half dozen took a wider route, enhancing his standing in defeat; tracked pace, shaken up 2 out, stayed on.

ONEMOREFORTHEROAD shaped as if back from 3 months off still in good form, more testing ground than he'd faced previously this season perhaps blunting him somewhat, giving his all as usual nonetheless; tracked pace out wide, every chance when shaken up 2 out, one paced; he's superbly consistent.

LUCKY ONE (FR) took another step back in the right direction, waiting tactics persevered with when he did all his best work last season when allowed his head; patiently ridden, steady headway out wide entering straight, ridden 2 out, not quicken, kept on again final 100 yds; he's set to drop a little more in the weights and will be one to note for a spring handicap.

HOWDYALIKEMENOW (IRE) ran better than in another prestigious big-field handicap the time before, especially considering the severity of an error in the back straight; held up, lost place when bad mistake fourth, rallied out wide from home turn, stayed on gradually.

GRISBI DE BERCE (FR) has been threatening to come good for most of the season, not the type to find much but better than this bare form might suggest, moving too strongly and sticking too close to the inner to fully get home faced with the most demanding 2m around, all after 8 weeks off; mid-division, travelled powerfully, good progress home turn, closing when blundered 2 out, not recover.

MONVIEL (IRE) shaped better than the bare result making handicap debut, lacking something in experience and also having to pick his way through while others got a clear run down the outer; held up, shaken up straight, effort 2 out, threatened briefly, keeping on when mistake last, no further impression; he'll have better chances to prove his opening mark fair.

SAMARRIVE (FR) hasn't kicked on from his striking win here at the Tingle Creek meeting, though he had missed 3 months prior to this, no setting for any lack of conditioning; held up, pushed along straight, made little impression.

HYDROPLANE (IRE) presumably just wasn't up to this better company, given he'd coped well with similar conditions in landing a weaker C&D handicap early in the year; mid-field, lost place when ridden home turn, labouring 2 out.

MR GREY SKY (IRE) is better judged on his progressive form coming in, overdoing things ridden aggressively in a much bigger field and ending up on what seemed the worst part of the track for good measure; soon led, took strong hold, kept on inner straight and headed approaching 2 out, no response.

KIHAVAH is better than this, one of many blunted by testing ground on this stamina-sapping course; waited with, some headway home turn, pushed along approaching 2 out, effort flattened out.

MIRANDA (IRE) looks handicapped to the hilt for anything competitive, mirroring her performance from this mark in a smaller-field renewal of this race in 2021 by finishing well held; raced off the pace, went in snatches, labouring out wide home turn.

MICK MAESTRO (FR) had his winning run ended but can be excused for not putting up more of a fight, given he raced closer to pace than ideal on a more demanding track; handy, pressed leader entering straight, weakened from 2 out.

CALICO (GER) remains winless in handicaps, lacking the resolution for something as demanding as this back over hurdles after 9 weeks off; mid-division, carried head bit awkwardly, not fluent 4 out, shaken up straight, dropped away (lost shoe).

CURRENT MOOD failed to justify some rather optimistic support, going handicapping with few secrets to reveal, though she has had an intensive first season over hurdles; raced well off the pace, never going well from 3 out, lost touch on inner straight.

ZAMBEZI FIX (FR) is best excused this run; raced on unfavoured inside, raced off the pace, pushed along straight, progress briefly, effort proved short-lived.

LEBOWSKI (IRE) hadn't found much at Haydock either but had far more compelling excuses for repeating the dose here, ridden with even more patience (both wins when ridden positively) and making his move on the wrong part of the track to boot, shaping much better than the bare result; dropped out, smooth headway on inner early in straight, threatened briefly 2 out, folded.

TRANSATLANTIC (FR) made a low-key start in Britain with headgear/tongue tie removed after 4 months off, but he's joined a superb yard (from M. Mescam) and will find calmer environments to display his true worth; held up, shaken up straight, no response.

HYSTERY BERE (FR) turned in a rare poor effort after 6 weeks off; settled mid-field on inner, driven approaching home turn, lost touch straight.

UP FOR PAROL (IRE) found his run of good form coming to a halt but wasn't the only one to have an explanation borne out of tactics and/or track position; led briefly soon after start, remained prominent on inner, shaken up straight, beaten quickly.

BALCO COASTAL (FR) seemed badly unsuited by conditions and may yet prove his opening mark as lenient as it looked (went as well as North Lodge for long way at Cheltenham) when the emphasis is more on speed away from the mud; tracked pace, went with little fluency, driven after 3 out, rallied briefly, dropped away 2 out, later said to have lost a shoe.