Racing Chat - Friday 23rd April

[The Brigadier]

An intriguing Sandown Classic Trial card on ITV tomorrow and with the weather set fair the ground looks likely to ride on the fast side of good with the course having watered during the week.

 

Here’s my thoughts on the four Sandown races (there’s also the Highland National at Perth been shown at 2.40 which looks wide open)

 

1.50

The Esher Cup has a history of producing many pattern performers over the years and is one of the most informative early season 3 year old handicaps in the racing calendar. This year’s renewal has attracted a decent sized field of ten and features some highly progressive three year olds.

Ilza’Eem (what a shocking name!) has been well supported throughout the week and even had his form boosted when Royal Fleet who just touched him off at Kempton in November (pair clear) won at Yarmouth mid week. Simon & son Ed Crisford’s colt has bolted up since in an un-competitive novices stakes at Redcar and starts his life in handicaps off of what looks a workable mark of 89. He’s definitely a player here especially when you consider that he was one of just 23 that was left in the 2000 Guineas at the latest declaration stage earlier this week.

The other ‘sexy’ runner is the Gosden’s Rifleman who’s also making his handicap debut here off of 87 having won a 7f Kempton novices stakes by 3 1/2L from  Ahlawi (winner since) in November. Owned by the Ballydoyle battalion he’ll be ridden by their jockey Ryan Moore.

The one I prefer today though is the Richard Hannon trained Dingle who has, unlike his two market rivals, had a recent run which has to be a massive bonus. He showed good form in two maidens (3rd in the Convival at York) prior to winning on his handicap debut at Kempton last September and ran a stormer on his re-appearance when third to Mithras and Saint Lawrence at Newbury in what was without doubt the best 3 year old handicap we’ve seen this season so far. He was beaten 2 1/4L although would of been a bit closer had he not been hampered inside the final furlong. That is form that will no doubt prove to worth following and the handicapper has raised him 2lb for that effort although that will not come into account until next time so he is effectively 2lb well in today. This is a race that is well worth following for the future and at an each way price I’m be going with Dingle.

 

DINGLE 1.5 points each way @ 11/2 William Hill 1/5th 123

 

2.25

The Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes is run over 10f and has been won by the likes of Crystal Ocean (twice), Al Kareem, Noble Mission, and Singspiel. Sir Michael Stoute has a particularly good record in the race having won it 9 times. His representative this season is Highest Ground, an imposing Frankel colt who started last season by giving a comfortable 2 1/2L defeat to Waldkonig who re-opposes here. He followed that up by a slightly disappointing neck defeat in the Dante at York by Thunderous who is another rival here. The vibes are strong that he’s wintered well and we all know what Sir Michael is capable of doing with his older horses.

Waldkonig will have fitness on his side having already been out this season winning a handicap under top weight at Pontefract, that form was given a boost when the third came out and won the City & Suburban Handicap at Epsom in the week. He looks the chief danger as I think that Hukum, who was well supported earlier today, may ideally need a bit further. He probably didn’t stay the Leger distance but maybe 12 furlongs is his optimum trip nowadays.

Thunderous who beat the selection in the Musidora last May hasn’t been seen since September and I’m more than happy to stick with the Stoute runner in a race he’s done so well in over the years.

 

HIGHEST GROUND 2 points win @ 9/4 William Hills

 

3.00

The Bet365 Mile is a Group 2 contest not surprisingly run over eight furlongs. There’s a strong favourite here in John And Thady Gosden’s Palace Pier who at today’s weights is 9lb and upwards clear of his three rivals. A winner twice here as a two year old this looks a good spot for the Kingman colt to start his 2021 campaign. He progressed from winning a handicap at Newcastle (what a certainty he must of been that day off of 98 at odds against!) to winning the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Jacques Le Marois at Deuville before finishing only third in the QE2 at Ascot on Champions Day. This is a particularly good piece of placing by the Gosden’s as they miss any penalties for his two group ones last season as they occurred prior to August 31st.

Happy Power and Bless Him don’t look good enough but the Roger Varian trained Khuzaam comes here with 9lb to find and on the back of a very impressive win of the Bombardier All Weather Mile Championships Conditions Stakes. He’ll need to improve again but does have fitness on his side even if he does seem to prefer the synthetic surfaces.

From a punting view it’s a hard race to get too involved with and I’ll happily sit this one out though if forced maybe a small stakes straight forecast Palace Pier to beat Khuzaam is the call.

 

3.35

The Bet365 Classic Trial is run over just short of 10 furlongs and is a good guide to the Epsom Derby with the last winner to come out of the race Benny The Dip who was runner up back in 1997. John Gosden is the leading trainer in the race having won it 9 times in total.

Charlie Appleby has his Moultons Paddocks string on fire at the moment with his last 8 runners finishing 12111121 and he saddles two here in Adayar and likely favourite Yibir. The former has to prove himself on the likely fast terrain having only raced on deep ground as a juvenile whilst the latter is a smashing looking full brother to Group 1 winner and Oaks runner up Wild Illusion who won his maiden here last season before winning the Haynes, Hanson & Clark at Newbury from Megallan who’s already boosted the form by winning at Newcastle this season.  He looks the one they all have to beat here.

There are a number of promising unexposed types who can also go well including the race specialist Gosden runner Trawlerman who was so impressive when winning a poor race at Pontefract earlier in the month. He shapes like today’s trip will be a bare minimum in time.

Martyn Meade’s Lone Eagle is the highest rated here having won the Group 3 Zealand Stakes last Autumn at Newmarket on soft ground. He sets the standard although it was a weak renewal he won that day.

Etonian is interesting as he won’t mind the ground and won twice here last season. Trained by Richard Hannon I fully expect him to be the chief threat to Yibir.

 

YIBIR 2 points win @ 5/2 William Hill

ETONIAN 1/2 point each way @ 15/2 William Hill 1/5th 123

 

 

[Wildgarden]

225 sandown highest ground 9/4 most and thunderous 11/2 william hill

335 sandown recovery run 12-1 ew betvictor

Edited April 22, 2021 by Wildgarden