STAR PREVIEW: #ThanksAP

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s one of those rare racing days. The chance to grab some value just because of the sense of occasion.

It many ways it typifies AP McCoy’s career – choosing to bow out in a 20 runner competitive handicap at Sandown rather than an odds-on shot that just needed steering home. He was never one to do things the easy way.

His final ride is Box Office – how appropriate for a day when Sandown Park are displaying the HOUSE FULL signs. Star Sports were quoting 3/1 about Box Office at lunchtime which at face value seems ridiculously short, though understandable.

I posed the question to Trevor Harris on the Star Sports trading desk “What price would Box Office be if it wasn’t today?” His view was ‘at least 6/1’ so you are being asked to take at least half the true odds.

Of course he can still win. Fairytales (or nightmares for layers) can come true – turn the clock back to 1996 and Fujiyama Crest – the last leg of Frankie Dettori’s Magnificent Seven who went off a 2/1 chance having been priced up at 12/1 in the morning.

There’s not that kind of pressure on AP today – his career will be celebrated no matter what happens to Box Office (or his earlier ride Mr Mole in the A P McCoy Celebration Chase).

20 championships titles and records broken left right and centre says it all. Good luck AP for today and the future. #ThanksAP

The big race on the card (formerly the Whitbread) looks depressingly worse every year. It’s now another long distance handicap chase.

I like siding with a fresh horse in this at the fag end of the season.

Le Reve fits the bill this year and has missed Cheltenham and Aintree. He was an easy winner at Sandown earlier this year and went on to run well at Kempton in the BetBright Chase. Each way recommended at around 10/1.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK LA REVE for 3 points each way at around 10/1 with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: PROFIT 64.31 POINTS

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