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Sandown hosts a mid-week evening card on Tuesday featuring the 1m Listed Heron Stakes, which has been dominated by the Gosden team in recent years with three wins from the last four renewals.
Sandown hosts a mid-week evening card on Tuesday featuring the 1m Listed Heron Stakes, which has been dominated by the Gosden team in recent years with three wins from the last four renewals. This year, they are represented by Slipofthepen, an exciting prospect for owners His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen's Consort.
Slipofthepen is making his turf debut after recording two very comfortable victories on the all-weather at Kempton Park and has been re-routed to Sandown after the ground came up heavy for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas).
He commenced his career with a five-and-a-half length success in a one mile novice stakes in November, edging left in the closing stages and showing general signs of inexperience. He was keen again on his return to action in April, pulling left in the final furlong to beat James Fanshawe's Ensued by one-and-a-quarter lengths. With further potential improvement, the colt looks a Group performer in the making.
John Warren, the King's racing manager, said, "We are hoping for a good showing so that we can find out where he sits to be aimed at Royal Ascot. John Gosden thinks he is a pretty smart colt, so we are treating him with plenty of respect."
Slipofthepen faces three opponents, including the 103-rated Grey's Monument from the Ralph Beckett yard. The colt recorded two victories and a second in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes as a juvenile yet could not show the same level of form when beaten nineteen lengths in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
Charlie Johnston's Finn's Charm is expected to try and dictate matters from the front. He looked an improved colt when scoring by four-and-a-quarter-lengths in a one mile Musselburgh handicap on his return to action. Captain Winter completes the line-up, having finished ten lengths behind Finn's Charm at Musselburgh.
Elsewhere on the card, there is an interesting ten furlong novice stakes contest with four of the six runners a last-start winner. Charlie Appleby's Royal Symbol has not been seen on the racetrack since winning a Kempton maiden in December 2021. The four-year-old underwent wind surgery and a gelding operation last year and will be watched with interest.
He faces Artistic Star, a professional winner of a Nottingham maiden in October. The three-year-old is a full-brother to Group performers Forbearance and Harpo Max, who both performed best over twelve furlongs.
Other runners of note include the Gosdens' Torito who holds an Epsom Derby entry and Tajawal, who has the visor applied for the first time.