ROCK The Kasbah could go well at a decent price in this afternoon’s Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

Philip Hobbs’ horse has never been beyond three miles in his life, so this is a fair step up to a marathon trip of three miles and almost five furlongs. Indeed, on his only attempt at three miles over hurdles, in a handicap hurdle at Aintree in April last year, he finished 26 lengths behind the winner Ubak.

However, he has shaped like a stayer this season over fences. He started off really well over the larger obstacles when he won a good beginners’ chase on good ground over two and a half miles at Chepstow in October, when he had Our Kaempfer and Theinval and Clan Des Obeaux behind him.

His jumping was a little suspect on his next couple of runs, but he jumped well in the main when winning again at Chepstow at the end of February, and he did well last time on Midlands National day at Uttoxeter to get as close as he got to American, who is potentially top class when he has his soft ground, as he had that day.

Thought to be at his best on soft ground in the early part of his career, Rock The Kasbah has been good on goodish ground over fences this term. He won his beginners’ chase on good ground, and it was no worse than good to soft when he ran the talented Politologue to four lengths at Ascot in December.

He has dropped to a mark of 142 over fences, which is 8lb lower than his mark over hurdles and 10lb lower than his peak, and that gives him plenty of leeway. He is only seven and he has raced just six times over fences, so he still has plenty of scope for progression as a staying chaser.

Philip Hobbs does like to target this race, he won it with Lacdoudal in 2006 and with Monkerhostin in 2008, and he has had seven placed horses in the race in the last decade. Rock The Kasbah was his only entry at the five-day stage, and it is probable that he has had this race in mind for Diana Whateley’s horse for a little while.

The Shirocco gelding stays three miles well over fences, he shapes as if there is every chance that he will get further, and he looks over-priced at 12/1.

You can be sure that Hobbs has also had today in mind for another Whateley horse in Menorah for a while, possibly since this day last year, given that the King’s Theatre gelding has won all three renewals of the Oaksey Chase to date.

You can understand why Menorah has been put in as favourite, but he is 12 years old now, he hasn’t won since he won this race last year and he has to concede 10lb to Traffic Fluide. That just may prove to be too much.

Traffic Fluide himself hasn’t won in over two years, but his last two runs have been good. On his penultimate run, Gary Moore’s horse was only beaten a total of eight lengths when he finished a running on sixth behind Special Tiara in the Champion Chase over two miles at Cheltenham. Then last time, stepped up to two and a half miles, he finished third behind Fox Norton and Sub Lieutenant in the Melling Chase at Aintree.

He couldn’t get close to those two horses that day, but they are top class performers, and he did keep on well to take third place from Kylemore Lough, with God’s Own and Top Gamble behind him. That is high-class form.

It seems like he has been around for ages, but he is still only seven. Fitted with cheekpieces for the first time today, the step up to two miles and six and a half furlongs could suit, given how well he stayed on over two and a half miles last time, he goes well on good ground, and he is one for one at Sandown.

RECOMMENDED

1 point win, Rock The Kasbah, 12/1 (generally)

1 point win, Traffic Fluide, 11/4 (generally)