Hi all,
Rather surprisingly I have a Thursday selection for you.
Sandown
7:15 – Eight are set to go to post for this 1m 2f handicap although there must be a doubt about the participation of Mubariz who ran at Bath on Wednesday.
There are three previous winners in the field in Just The Man, Dreamweaver and Mokammal. All three are going the right way but Mokammal might just be the best of the trio. The 3-year-old battled on well to win on his handicap debut at Chester 41-days ago. His trainer Sir Michael Stoute is master at placing middle distance handicappers. He’s up 4lb in a better race today but given he’s only had the four career starts there’s likely more to come from the gelding.
Migration could well become my new ‘cliff horse’. A winner of a 1m handicap at Newmarket three starts ago, He was then sent off just 7/1 for the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot where he could only finish 7th of 28. Shaped better on first attempt at 1m 2f when 7th in a better handicap than this at Newmarket 27-days ago. Doing his best work at the finish he seemed to stay the 1m 2f well enough although the 3-year-olds not bred to get more than a mile. Just 2lb higher than for his Newmarket win I’m expecting a big run from the selection. Silvestre De Sousa is up for the first time and he’s 2 -3 +11.38 when teaming up with trainer David Menuisier.
Verdict: As much as I respect the claims of the Stoute horse for this handicap. I think Migration is capable of landing this off his present mark. That said I wouldn’t want to take less than 4/1 about his chance.
Migration – 6/1 @ Bet365 or 9/2 @ Ladbrokes & Coral
Cheers
John