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There may be no Group 1 action on Saturday but Sandown provides a competitive seven-race card including the Group 3 Solario Stakes for juveniles and the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes.
The exciting Starlore returns to the scene of his debut success in the 7f Group 3 Solario Stakes, facing the same course and distance. The beautifully-bred son of Kingman was masterfully ridden by Ryan Moore to pick up the victory in early July, showing plenty of inexperience in the closing stages when hanging right and idling. The form of the race was boosted with third-placed Arabian Crown subsequently winning the Listed Stonehenge Stakes in easy fashion at Salisbury and the fifth Devil's Point (re-opposing) scoring at Ffos Las on his next outing.
Ralph Beckett is in flying form with a strike rate of 32% from the last fourteen days and will be representing by the improving Mortlake. A well-beaten sixth of eight when green on debut at Salisbury, the colt progressed significantly on his second run when recording a dominant five length success at Leicester. He faced opposition for the lead throughout the first half of the race, but ran on well in the closing stages for jockey Rossa Ryan, who gets the leg-up today. Further improvement is expected.
Although the top three in the market appear to be fairly solid, slender preference is given to Devil's Point at the prices (currently 5/1). He made his debut in Starlore's Sandown Park contest and finished a solid one-and-a-half lengths fifth, despite losing ground at the start and drifting in the closing stages. He was well-supported when winning at Ffos Las on soft ground by four-and-a-quarter lengths, with the third-placed horse Going The Distance subsequently winning to boost the form. A son of New Bay, the colt is a half-brother to Aidan O'Brien's The Acropolis, who placed at Group 2 level over seven furlongs as a juvenile. The form of the David Menuisier yard (0-11 in last fourteen days) appears a concern on the surface, but eight of their last eleven runners started at odds of 16/1 or longer.
WIN: DEVIL'S POINT
In the 1m Group 3 Atalanta Stakes, Coppice heads the betting for the John and Thady Gosden team. Winner of the Sandringham Stakes handicap at Royal Ascot, the filly made the significant step up into Group 1 company at Newmarket on her next start and was well-beaten behind Nashwa, on ground that was probably beginning to veer on the edge of soft. The return to Group 3 company represents a suitable task for the full-sister to Group 1 performer Calyx, and it is little surprise that she has attracted market support with the added benefit of the three-year-old weight allowance over her main market rival Heredia.
At the prices, the Gosden's other runner Queen For You makes some appeal. She was touted as a future star when winning a competitive Ascot novice on debut in May and followed up with a short head second behind Sounds Of Heaven in the Listed Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes. The Kingman filly was well-beaten in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot then disappointed back in Listed company when five-and-a-half lengths behind the re-opposing Midnight Mile. That said, she boats a beautiful pedigree as a daughter of Coronation Stakes winner Fallen For You and the application of first-time cheekpieces could spark enough improvement to make her competitive.
Richard Hannon's Heredia remains unexposed at a mile and has impressed on her three starts over the trip. Winner of last year's Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot, she finished third in the Listed Coral Distaff over course and distance in July 2022. The daughter of Dark Angel was then campaigned over shorter trips, picking up a six furlong Listed second on seasonal reappearance and returned to winning ways with a three-and-three-quarter length success in the mile Listed Dick Hern Stakes at
Haydock last time. She rates highly with conditions to suit, and appears capable of overturning the favourite.
WIN: HEREDIA
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1: TOUGH ENOUGH
RACE 2: HEREDIA
RACE 3: LORD PROTECTOR
RACE 4: DEVIL'S POINT
RACE 5: BEAUTIFUL LOVE
RACE 6: INNER CITY
RACE 7: CLIPSHAM LA HABANA