Hi all,
It’s been a quiet week on the betting front and my first two selections of the week can be found at the end of the main piece.
The clash of the generations between Emily Upjohn is on with both being declared for Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse. Sadly, there’s no Anmaat who had developed an abscess on his foot. Paddington’s stablemate Luxembourg also wasn’t declared. That just leaves a field of four the tomorrow’s big race.
Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse meeting gets underway this afternoon. There are three Listed contests on a seven race card including the Coral Marathon (3.05). Besides Sandown there are flat meetings at Doncaster Haydock and Beverley.
Sandown
Heavy rain on Tuesday night meant that the going at Sandown eased to good to soft. However, the forecast has been for mainly dry weather over the next few days with some hot weather on Friday. If that forecast has proved to be correct, then we can expect the soft to quickly come out of that going description.
In today’s preview I have looked at four races at Sandown.
1:55 – The Class 2 handicap that opens the card sees only six line -up. There doesn’t look to be much pace with the only guaranteed front runner looking to be Can To Can. Thus, Clarendon House could be nicely positioned to take advantage back in handicap company. His yard is 0-18 in the past two weeks though which is a worry. He can clearly win this, but I wouldn’t want to take too short a price to find out. Can To Can ran well for a long way in the ultra-competitive Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap. Not sure how well handicapped she is now but she’s likely to get an uncontested which means she dangerous.
2:30 – Born To Rock an impressive winner on racecourse debut at Yarmouth was forced to miss her intended engagement at Royal Ascot and is likely to be a warm order in the Listed Dragon Stakes.
3:05 – Yibir looked laboured when only 6th of 12 in the Ascot Gold Cup and hasn’t been at his best on two starts this season. Yard is back to form now 11-30 in the past 14 days though. Although he probably didn’t stay 2m 4f last time this 2m threatens to suit.
Ocean Wind is the most interesting of the six runners. He returns from a mammoth 771 day break. An improving stayer in 2020 he also ran Stradivarius to length in the 2021 Sagaro Stakes. There must be a question as how much of his old ability remains, but the 7-year-old gets the first time blinkers today and if he’s ready to roll he could upset likely favourite Yibir.
4:15 – An easy surface will suit Poker Face in the Listed Gala Stakes. He was a solid 2 ½ length 4th of 6 to Point Lonsdale in a Group 2 at Chester (soft) two starts back. However, he couldn’t get involved in Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot last time on quicker ground.
The quirky Saga isn’t the most trustworthy, but this could be a good opportunity for the 4-year-old to get his head in front for the first time since September 2021.
Certain Lad hasn’t won since taking a Group 3 at York in August 2020. That said he’s only had nine starts since and wasn’t disgraced when a 4 ¾ length 3rd of 10 to Anmaat in a Group 3 at Haydock last August. Well beaten in the Wolferton Stakes last time but he was badly hampered after 1f and that performance is best ignored. If the ground is no quicker than good can go close.
Betting Advice:
Sandown
3:05 – Ocean Wind – 1pt win – 5/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
4:15 – Certain Lad – 1pt win – 11/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes.
Cheers
John