Equinties - Sandown Fridays

Gm Equinauts

Sandown hosts a brilliant card today where, historically, the races have featured future sires (think MOSTADHAF, ULYSSES and CRSYTAL OCEAN who won the Group Gordon Richard Stakes, CHARYN and PALACE PIER who won the Group 2 Mile and BANGKOK and WESTOVER who won the Group 3 Derby Trial.

We can’t wait. Kick off at 13.15.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

JOCKEY BOOKINGS

Right, we all know Mr. W. P. Mullins has 10 declared for the bet365 Gold Cup. He’s playing his cards to his benefit, and he doesn’t really care if it potentially ruins the race. Sometimes, you do have to be that selfish in order to win. The game is the game.

However, once we knew that the master of Closutton had half the field running for him, attention quickly turned to his potential jockey bookings, and they were slightly surprising.

So, this is how the jockey bookings read as far as we know:

GRANGECLARE WEST - Brian Hayes
MINELLA COCOONER - Danny Mullins
DANCING CITY - Jonjo O'Neill Jr
HIGH CLASS HERO - Paul Townend
LOMBRON - Rachael Blackmore
OLYMPIC MAN - Jonathan Burke
O'MOORE PARK - Sean O'Keeffe
SPANISH HARLEM - Sam Twiston-Davies
CHOSEN WITNESS - TBC
KLARC KENT – TBC

Townend, if we assume he had the choice, has decided to get the leg up on HIGH CLASS HERO. Now, we know that he is preferred in the market to DANCING CITY, but we assumed that Townend would stick with the proven Grade 1 winner in the Donnelly silks. It’s what usually happens. Alas, he will partner the horse who finished second to DANCING CITY in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival last season, and Jonjo O’Neill Jnr is set to partner DANCING CITY. O’Neill Jnr hasn’t had many rides for Mullins, but he did win a Grade 1 with PONIROS at the Festival, so that’s fair enough.

Weird one. Is this a tip in itself for HIGH CLASS HERO? 

Both are trying handicap company for the first time, and HIGH CLASS HERO’s run over 2m5f probably wasn’t for him in March. He’s definitely been saved for a big staying handicap, and Townend’s confidence can only be seen as a positive.

On the flip side, if you like DANCING CITY, you’d have to be a small bit worried. Maybe they think he wants it a bit slower? Maybe he hasn’t shown the right level of form over fences to win a race like this? It’s all a bit confusing - Mullins bingo again, in late April!

SANDOWN

14.25 GROUP 3 GORDON RICHARDS STAKES

This years Gordon Richards Stakes is a really interesting renewal with potentially no standout horse, but there are a number of smart ones. Let’s start with the was favourite now easy to back, ALMAQAM.

He won his first two starts of last season, so he does go well fresh, and he nearly beat ill-fated JAYAREBEE on his final start of last season, which has to be seen as a good piece of form.

He beat FRANKEL’s half-brother, KIKKULI, at this course on soft ground, though he should handle good Sandown ground fine. He’s quite the unexposed animal in this field. Ed Walker has also mentioned the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Prix d’Isaphan, Prince Of Wales’s, Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion, and Champion Stakes as possible races for him, so they must think plenty of him!

The quote in the Racing Post last month said: "I don't think I've been as excited about a horse as I am with Almaqam this year. He was always a very exciting horse, even at two and then going on to three, and last year he didn't let us down at all.” Bullish.

SEE THE FIRE could give him a nice race for the in-form Andrew Balding yard. She won a Group 3 last year, beating PHANTOM FLIGHT, and he has Group 1 form with TAMFANA, OPERA SINGER, and ANMAAT. The Champion Stakes performance has had a small form frank this season thanks to PERSICA, and CALANDAGAN nearly won the Sheema Classic, so her form is very respectable but no filly has won this race in the last 10 years.

She has proven herself more at this trip compared to ALMAQAM, and she should go on any ground, though the quicker the better.

AL AASY has a similar form line to SEE THE FIRE based on his run behind PHANTOM FLIGHT at Newbury in the Listed Steventon Stakes. He was in fine, fine form last year, but he seemed to do most of his winning on good to firm last season.

It was good, good to soft in places at Sandown yesterday, and Sandown does tend to ride slower than some. He may just need this.

Race fit ROYAL CHAMPION had a run at Southwell of which the third, PERSICA, improved for the run to win the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton. ROYAL CHAMPION is seven, so no spring chicken but he’s now trained by Burke meaning there could yet till be untapped potential and this looks like it has been the plan from Karl Burke, so has to be interesting.

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have two in here, ARABIAN CROWN and ANCIENT WISDOM. William Buick is on the latter, and he was sent off 6/1 for the Epsom Derby once upon a time. He was poor in the Group 3 Surprise Stakes 13 days ago, but that could just bring him on nicely. He showed he had a good deal of determination when winning the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes last year, and he won’t mind the Sandown conditions.

ARABIAN CROWN has Ryan Moore booked to do the steering, and he’s won four of his last five. He ran after a 309-day break when fourth in Meydan 55 days ago, so he should strip fitter, and he looked quite smart between 2023 and 2024. If he still has the same ability that saw him win the 2024 Group 3 Classic Trial over this same course and distance, he could be a player.

PEACE MAN completes the field. He has form with LEAD ARTIST and LIBERTY LANE, and that run behind those two horses came after a 470-day break. He can run on soft or good to firm, and he might just outrun his odds when fresh. The Gosden runners have potentially needed their first runs, however.

Verdict: We think this is between the top two in the market, Walkers and Balding’s. Walker thinks his horse is special and one to look forward to this season and Balding’s thrown his filly right in the deep end - fillies aren’t entered for this sire making race! Could dutch the pair to make an even money winner or stick your hat one one. We’ll side with certified Group horse SEE THE FIRE at 11/4.

15.00 GROUP 2 BET 365 MILE

DANCING GEMINI was awesome at Doncaster last month, we backed him. He is continuing his charge to the Lockinge with a stop in the Group 2 bet365 Mile.

He’s a reasonable price if you like him in this field, and what’s not to like? There’s an argument to suggest that he runs at his best during the first half of the season, based on last year, and he’s ground versatile. He has no penalty, so he is the obvious favourite. He only concern is bounce factor - that’s an equine phenomenon when a horse bombs next time out after their big comeback run. Happens all the time without explanation.

LEAD ARTIST beat DANCING GEMINI in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes, and he finished out last year with a win in the Group 3 Darley Stakes and a second in the Group 2 Bahrain International. That’s good form, and we probably haven’t gotten to the bottom of him. If he’s ready to go, he is a worthy competitor to DANCING GEMINI.

TAMFANA has been on the drift for David Menuisier and Oisin Murphy despite her huge season last year. She won over this course and distance in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes before beating INSPIRAL in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes. Despite her gender, she has to give weight away because of that Group 1 win.

Her worst run last year was, as expected, her first of the season in the Group 3 Prix Imprudence, and she improved for the effort. She also improved for a bit of nicer ground when fourth in the 1000 Guineas.

She finished ahead of DANCING GEMINI in the QEII when getting 3lbs. Will giving 2lbs away and lacking race fitness reverse that form?

ALCANTOR is another who has race fitness, and he ran in the same French 2000 Guineas as DANCING GEMINI. ALCANTOR sat prominently that day, and DANCING GEMINI closed him down to pass late on, but the French raider had to work hard to get an early position from a wide stall. He could reverse that form, especially if he has improved nicely from three to four. It’s notable that Andre Fabre is coming over for this, so they must fancy him to run well. The softer the better.

HAATEM has great form with ROSALLION, NOTABLE SPEECH, and CITY OF TROY, though this is his first run for 307 days. In a stable tour with the Post, Richard Hannon said: “He'll start off in the Group 2 at Sandown this week but his main target is the Queen Anne.” That may suggest that he’ll just need this outing, and he’s one who will probably love fast ground.

CICERO’S GIFT, ICE MAX, and CASH complete the field. The best case to make for one of these three falls on ICE MAX. He’s only four, so he could be improving, and he won his first two starts of last season. He ran behind ALMAQAM, KIKKULI, and SONS AND LOVERS over this course and distance after that, and he beat POKER FACE in a Group 2 at Goodwood, which looks like fine form. He could be interesting at a big price.

Verdict: No strong view in this and would have sided with Teal’s if not for the potential bounce factor. On that basis we’ll side with the French raider ALCANTOR ew.

15.35 1M 2F GROUP 3 DERBY TRIAL

We’ve already seen one odd, but highly favourable result in Epsom Derby trial, can Sandown’s throw up a result too?

WINDLORD is favourite today for in form trainer Balding. Last seen finishing well in a Group 2 at the Curragh, close up behind HOTAZHELL who went on to win a Group 1 - form certainly franked! The question is, is he going to be better at this new trip? Potentially, there is a nice 10f winner out of his second dam.

I AM I SAID is one from one. Tuite, Becketts assistant said his debut win was a nice surprise stating ‘as a general rule they are a bit special’ when they do that. His pedigree contains LAND FORCE on the dam side but his sire is fairly unfashionable. Arguably, he’d have to be his sire’s best to be considered for this years Derby. He’s done nothing but impress so far though.

SWAGMAN has similar form to WINDLORD behind HOTAZHELL but Aidan has said he will improve for the run. He’s by expensive sire WOOTTON BASSETT and out of a dam side full of Listed winners over a trip.

DAMYSUS is interesting for Wathnam, trained by the Gosden’s. A drifter in the market which could be telling of his readiness but he is unbeaten and although his debut form looks ropey, he was impressive.

SIR DINADAN makes Beckett double handed in this and is last in the market but by no means least as his pedigree is just as nice as the others. By CAMELOT, he bolted up when extended to this 10f trip last time out. Beckett describes him as big and strong and needing of a trip, suggesting this could be minimum but like all of them in this field, fits safely in the could be anything bracket.

Verdict: WINDLORD for Balding.

RISK ON

Yesterdays only bet MAFTING was last off the bridle but ultimately left it too late yesterday to finish second behind a useful looking Crisford horse - both well clear of the field.

Of the preview horses we think Balding’s SEE THE FIRE and WINDLORD could be a good ew double at 8’s.

13.15 ZAYER

Small stake on what will be a fast and furious race with no room for error but we think Archie Watson’s lad could be a Group horse in a handicap. Ran well in defeat last year and could train on to be a very smart sprinter this season. 3/1 small win.

13.50 SERAPH GABRIEL

Simply following a message here. We thought Becketts have needed their first runs this season but apparently this doesn’t and is expected to win. 11/4 small win on second hand info.

14.33 SEA FORCE

Big pedigree vote for this lad, a bit like our winning selection MAELSTROM earlier in the week. He has loads to find but we think Shaggas has taken his time with him and will be seen much better on this ground now at 3yo. Massive pedigree. 4/1 win bet.

Want a bigger price? We think AMATEUR at 22’s in the Highland National. Won for Norm last years at the same price, connections have always wanted to win a Scottish National. They came 6th in the big one a few years ago but that was on soft. Good ground today and at the ripe old age of 12, they’ve lowered his sights to this race. Worth a small stake as a last chance saloon.

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