Stan James' Head of PR Charlie McCann with his personal fancies for today's action.
This afternoon’s racing may lack the brilliance of York’s Ebor meeting but there are a number of fascinating races including Sandown’s opener the Listed Atalanta Stakes. Three year-olds have won the last four renewals of this race and I believe that sequence will be extended to five with Long Lashes, Seta and Decorative taken to fight out the finish.
Long Lashes was bought by Godolphin following her debut success for Jessica Harrington in Ireland, but has been largely disappointing since including when fourth on her belated seasonal reappearance at Goodwood last month. She is entitled to come on for that run and the Boys In Blue have been in good form in recent days but she is overlooked.
Kieren Fallon’s suspension means that Seta will be partnered by J-P Guillambert for the first time and Luca Cumani’s one-time 1000 Guineas favourite looks the one to beat having been given a couple of confidence boosters since her below par effort at Newmarket back in the spring.
There was rain forecast for the Esher track on Friday and as long as the ground is no faster than good I am going to take a chance on the lightly-raced, unbeaten Decorative (2.05) representing Michael Jarvis. She was taken out of a race because of the prevailing fast ground a couple of weeks ago but is held in high regard by her excellent handler and is given the nod to improve past her more illustrious rivals.
Native Khan (2.35) was taken out of his target at Newbury last weekend and bypassed York for the Gp 3 Solario Stakes and he is taken to maintain his 100% record. Roayh has been placed in both the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and Goodwood’s Richmond Stakes and Frankie Dettori’s mount certainly sets the standard but as I suggested last week I will support Native Khan until he meets with defeat.
Captain Coke has changed yards since his last win but this most progressive sprinter could still be ahead of the handicapper as he bids for his four-timer. He may need luck in running from stall 9 given he is usually held up in his races, but there appears to be plenty of pace in the race and he can maintain his sequence.
Bloodsweatandtears (4.50) is considered a very nice prospect by William Knight and is awarded this week’s nap despite the fact that he has nothing in hand of Titus Two on Yarmouth running when you take into account the excellent John Fahy’s 5lbs claim. The selection holds entries in some of the major end-of-season races for juveniles and must go close. As a son of Barathea any easing of the ground would help as the surface was plenty quick enough last time. If the ground is good he must go close.
One of the most interesting runners of the day is the lightly-raced grey Tamaathul who has been off the course since finishing fourth in the Dee Stakes over 10f at Chester back in the spring. It is well documented that Barry Hills loves to have winners at Chester and Tamaathul (3.25) is well drawn, returning to the Roodeye, in stall five for a horse who made all to win at Doncaster back in October. He is entered in the Cambridgeshire later in the year and is certainly one to watch with interest this afternoon.
Brian Meehan saddled the winner of the valuable St Leger Yearling Sales race at Ripon last year and he can follow up courtesy of the once-raced Murbeh (3.40) who won at Newbury on debut. The draw played a significant part in last week’s Gt St Wilfred and Murbeh could be better housed than in stall 8 but there is plenty of dead wood in the field and Meehan and jockey Tadhg O’Shea are taken to double up.
Marcus Tregoning has not had the best of campaigns but there is surely more to come from Waheed (4.45) who ran on well over a mile at Sandown on his first start. He is stepped up in trip and well drawn in the 10f maiden and is taken to break his duck.
There is a valuable handicap chase at Newton Abbot and a chance is taken on Silverburn (3.15) who was once considered a potential star in the Paul Nicholls stable. He ran his best race for some time at Market Rasen last month and is undeniably well-treated on his best form. He went off 11/4 favourite for a valuable Cheltenham Handicap a couple of years ago when he made a desperate mistake at the first. Hindsight suggests he faced an impossible task given the winner was subsequent Gold Cup scorer Imperial Commander but Silverburn looks to be coming back to something like his best form and is a sporting selection.
Be Lucky
Charlie
