Sandown plays host to a fantastic card on Saturday, featuring two Group races, plus a host of interesting looking handicaps.
Tote are guaranteeing a huge £150,000 in the Placepot for it, so our editor has given his selections in an attempt to land the big prize pot.
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Leg 1: 1.50pm
Leg 1 Selections: (1) Indemnify (5) Tough Enough
It’s important to get through the opening leg and I’ve got two I like in this. First up is INDEMNIFY, who has plenty of experience over this C&D, having raced here three times already this season. He won here on seasonal reappearance, before a good fifth in better company in a race that the form has worked out nicely since. Her must recent run here came last time out, where she was repeatedly short of room but still finished within three and a half lengths of the winner. With a clearer run I expect him to go extremely close.
The other is James Tate’s TOUGH ENOUGH, who has only finished out of the top three once in his six races to date. Rossa Ryan has been on board for the five races he’s done best in (Hayley Turner was on board when he finished sixth in the other race), including when winning over C&D last month. He looks to be improving with each run and I’m not surprised he’s towards the head of the betting.
Leg 2: 2.25pm
Leg 2 Selections: (10) Queen For You (1) Heredia
I’m not overly keen on Coppice’s chances here, so I’m going to take her on with a couple. The first and most confident pick is Coppice’s stablemate QUEEN FOR YOU for John & Thady Gosden, who drops back in trip after failing to see out 1m 2f at York last time out. Prior to that she wasn’t disgraced when finishing fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot behind Tahiyra, and this is a marked drop in class compared to that. The application of first time blinkers could eke out a bit more improvement too, so I’m expecting her to run well at a bit of a price.
The other is HEREDIA, who is shorter in the betting and was last seen running out an easy winner of the Listed Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock last month. She was eased down towards the finish but still finished comfortable clear of runner-up Purplepay, who re-opposes in this. I fully expect her to confirm that form and she should be closer in the betting to the market leader.
Leg 3: 3.00pm
Leg 3 Selections: (4) Lord Protector (6) Andaleep
This is a tough handicap to call but there’s a couple I like the look of. First up is LORD PROTECTOR, who has a 121 (2/3) record over C&D and should be able to go close again here. Sandown is a course that doesn’t suit some horses but that isn’t the case with him and he seems to thrive there.
The other is another with a fine record here – ANDALEEP. Having finished in the top three in seven of his ten races here (winning four of them), and with the ground in his favour I’m confident he won’t be far away in this.
Leg 4: 3.38pm
Leg 4 Selections: (6) Starlore (1) Aablan
With six runners lining up it’s worth having a couple of plays in this. First up is STARLORE for Sir Michael Stoute, who made a winning debut over C&D in July. The form of that race received a welcome boost when the third home Arabian Crown won his next two races, including a Listed victory in the Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury last month. The fifth home Devil’s Point has also won since, so the form looks strong and he should be tough to beat.
The other selection is AABLAN for Charlie Appleby, who has won two of the last six renewals, including last year with Silver Knott. He stayed on strongly to make a winning debut at Newmarket and the form was boosted when the third-placed Magsood ran out a comfortable winner next time out. With his trainers excellent record in the race, it would be a shock if he wasn’t in the mix.
Leg 5: 4.10pm
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Classical Song
This should be a two horse race between Charlie Appleby’s Beautiful Love and Ralph Beckett’s CLASSICAL SONG, and it’s the former I’m siding with. The form of her debut performance has worked out nicely, with the winner since filling the runner-up spot in a Group 2 race in France. Classical Song was slowly away that day, so if she can break from the stalls better and put that experience to good use, I think she will take all the beating.
Leg 6: 4.45PM
Leg 6 Selections: (2) Inner City (7) Spanish Blaze
INNER CITY was an expensive purchase for Godolphin and has raced with promise in his three runs to date. He steps into handicap company for the first time, and having been gelded since last seen, he looks a good option here. His best effort to date came over C&D here back in June, so the hope is the return to this course will see him to best effect.
The other one to add in is SPANISH FLAME, who has kicked on since a disappointing debut and has put in a couple of superb performances of late. He finished comfortably clear of Doddie’s Impace when winning at Newbury in July, before finishing just a length and a half off the winner on his first effort over this trip in a class 2 event Yarmouth last month. It would be a shock if he didn’t make his presence felt at the finish.
Suggested Placepot
Leg 1 Selections: (1) Indemnify (5) Tough Enough
Leg 2 Selections: (10) Queen For You (1) Heredia
Leg 3 Selections: (4) Lord Protector (6) Andaleep
Leg 4 Selections: (6) Starlore (1) Aablan
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Classical Song
Leg 6 Selections: (2) Inner City (7) Spanish Blaze
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