3 minute read
There are no fewer than seven meetings on show across the UK and Ireland on this super Saturday and Sam King is back with four selections.
Sandown hosts an attractive seven-race card and I'm expecting the unlucky last-time-out loser Indemnify to grab the opening Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap (1.50).
Alice Haynes' gelding produced by far his best effort to date when fourth here last start and would probably be 2-3 at the Esher venue but for suffering a horrible passage through in running.
The four-year-old grey could be spotted going particularly well in behind the pace two furlongs out, but from that point onwards he failed to get any gap whatsoever and ultimately couldn't get out of second gear.
The drop back to seven furlongs this afternoon shouldn't be much of a concern given there are a handful of front-runners to take the field along and I expect Kieran O'Neill to get a decent position early from stall one. An unchanged mark of 91 is clearly workable for the gelded son of Lope De Vega and he can me amends for that unlucky outing here thirteen days ago.
Selection: Indemnify – General 7/2
The Group 3 Virgin Bet Atalanta Stakes (2.25) looks like a cracking renewal and it's easy to see an angle for the first handful in the betting.
Clarehaven Stables look to hold a decent hand with the class-dropping Coppice and Queen For You. I'm quite interested in the latter now sporting first-time cheekpieces but she's hardly a solid option and at the prices, surely Heredia is the bet.
Richard Hannon's filly got right back on track when bolting up in a competitive renewal of the Listed EBF Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock three weeks ago. That success took her to 2-3 over the mile and her only other start over the distance came when a decent third in Listed company tackling track and trip as a three-year-old.
Sean Levey knows this filly well and the pair should be capable of slotting in nicely despite being drawn widest in ten. The daughter of Dark Angel was good on the clock at the Mersey venue 21 days ago and with conditions in favour once more a similar effort could well be on the cards.
Selection: Heredia – General 4/1
Sticking with the Esher track and Group company, I'm hoping Starlore can confirm his debut promise by remaining unbeaten in the Group 3 Virgin Bet Solario Stakes (3.38).
His sire, Kingman landed this contest in emphatic style ten years ago and while I'm not expecting a performance of that calibre from Starlore, I do expect him to make up into a very smart colt in time.
I was at Sandown the day he made a winning debut and Sir Michael Stoute's colt looked as though he'd improve bundles from the run in the paddock. He travelled kindly in the hands of Ryan Moore that day and showed a decent attitude to fend off two nice prospects close home. The form of that first-time success also holds some substance with Arabian Crown, who finished back in third, going on to land the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury two starts later.
I love the fact connections have given him plenty of time to strengthen up after that initial success and with previous course and distance experience a major plus, he can retain his unbeaten record on the way to bigger and better things.
Selection: Starlore – General 9/4
We head to Beverley for our final selection. I'm a big fan of the Beverley Bullet but unfortunately struggled to find a wager in this year's renewal so heads turn to the opening William Hill Silver Cup Handicap at 2.05.
Roger Varian wouldn't be sending his horses to Beverley for some fresh air (9 winners from his last 24 runners at the track, 38%) and Jack Mitchell looks to have a good chance of recording success onboard Aimeric before jetting off to Germany to ride tomorrow afternoon.
The son of Frankel was sent off just 4/1 to land a competitive heritage handicap at Newmarket last time (the winner finished third in the Ebor), but he never travelled and was beaten a long way from home.
You have to put a line through that performance but I'm happy to take the chance that it was just a blip. He shaped nicely when eighth in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and was arguably a touch unlucky not to finish a tad closer after suffering some traffic problems approaching the two-furlong marker.
Roger Varian's four-year-old remains unexposed in middle-distance handicaps of this nature and should give a bold sight this afternoon in what looks like his easiest assignment since scoring at Doncaster three starts ago.
Selection: Aimeric – General 4/1
