THE Group 1 Eclipse is the feature at Sandown with the highly progressive Paddington representing the three-year-old generation from the Ballydoyle team taking on the four-year-old superstar filly Emily Upjohn trained by John and Thady Gosden, with the likely pace setter West Wind Blows and Dubai Honour making up the field.
This looks very much a match between Paddington and Emily Upjohn, with the filly my preference to take another Group 1. Emily Upjohn Unibet 5/4 looked really impressive at Epsom on seasonal debut when delivering a career best effort to win the Coronation Cup ahead of Westover with a strong turn of foot. The drop back in trip here isn’t a negative as Emily John cruised to victory in the Musidora at York last season over a very similar trip, having won her previously start over this distance at Sandown. This is always more of a test with the Sandown hill and with Emily Upjohn targeted at the Eclipse she can hold off Paddington, who looked really strong at Royal Ascot and is stepping up in trip here on his first visit to Sandown. A fascinating race.
Earlier on in the card Stenton Glider and Magical Sunset for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon can fill the two places in the Distaff Listed race.
In the handicap at 4.15 I have deserted Majestic a Unibet blog regular, who is likely to go off favourite here with Honiton my each way selection.
Enjoy weather at Sandown or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.
Cheers,
The Wine Tipster
1.50 Sandown – Charge Group 3 (5f)
Lady Hamana won the Listed Scurry Stakes over course and distance last time from stall 3 in first time cheekpieces last month, with these back on again for this Group 3. She was always travelling smoothly and challenged against the rail to take the lead late on beating Tajalla by a length and a quarter. Lady Hamana is draw in stall 1 and with the ground drying out all the time this has to be in her favour for this Karl Burke trained three-year-old who can reward each way players.
Unibet 16/1 each way
2.25 Sandown – Challenge Handicap (1m)
Sceptic (nap) is one of the few improvers in the field, who has had only five career starts and wasn’t seen until October as a 2-year-old, suggesting he was barely forward enough last year. The Andrew Balding team have taken their time, which has paid dividends with wins at Lingfield and last time at Goodwood, where he powered clear in the closing stages and created the impression that he is a very strong stayer at this trip. Sceptic still looked as though he is developing though at Goodwood and although he is 9lb higher today (raised 6lb, plus Hollie Doyle taking over from 3lb claimer Callum Hutchinson) it’ll be a surprise if he doesn’t step up again.
Unibet 15/2 each way
3.00 Sandown – Distaff Listed (1m)
Stenton Glider returned to form when second to Habana in the German 1,000 Guineas last month, with favourite Dream Of Love back in third. Stenton Glider had disappointed in the English 1,000 Guineas after finishing second in the Fred Darling Stakes in truly testing conditions to Remarquee, who also disappointed on the Rowley Mile, though returned to form at Royal Ascot in the Coronation Stakes when runner-up to Tahiyra. These are all really good pointers to Stenton Glider’s chances on Saturday in which she can record her first success of 2023.
Unibet 7/2
Magical Sunset for Unibet Ambassador Richard Hannon looked really useful when winning her last two starts of her juvenile career, and this year it appears that Richard been experimenting to find out what her best trip is going to be. She has not been disgraced in any of them, running a solid fourth over 7f at Epsom (form solid – front three all ran well at Ascot) and she herself, when upped to a mile in the Sandringham, beat those home drawn low by a length, despite only finishing eighth. It is not hard to think she’d have been closer had she been drawn higher, and this stiff mile might be what she’s been wanting all along.
Unibet 5/1
3.15 Haydock – Old Newton Cup Handicap (1m 4f)
Cumulonimbus has a blindingly obvious chance with little pace in the race and he has twice made all to win on his last two starts so he looks sure to take them along. He is 2-2 at Haydock and form of his win over Live Your Dream last time is solid, with the runner-up running a cracker to be in the frame for the Duke Of Edinburgh handicap at Royal Ascot last time.
Cumulonimbus is ground versatile, with plenty of rain forecast at this stage for Saturday, and there is plenty to like about this progressive sort.
Unibet 6/1 each way
4.15 Sandown – Handicap (1m 1f)
Honiton never ran his race last time at Epsom when second around Tattenham Corner and then not appearing to handle the track before fading away when not given a hard ride. He is much better than that, as he showed at Newmarket in May on his penultimate run when beating Misty Dancer, who won a Class 2 next time out at Chelmsford and the third Qaasid was far from disgraced in a good race at Newcastle. It is worth watching Honiton winning his maiden over this trip last year by nine lengths as he powered away up the hill. Sandown clearly suits him and with conditions in his favour he will return to form.
Unibet 9/1 each way
