Saturday's Meetings Chester Flat 7 Races 1:35-5:05p.m. Navan Flat 8 Races 1:40-5:40p.m. Sandown Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Beverley Flat 7 Races 2:05-5:35p.m. Newton Abbot N/H 6 Races 3:32-5:27p.m. Chelmsford(E) A/W 7 Races 5:15-8:15p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 7 Races 6:00-9:00p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The Sandown card features two Group 3 races but the second, the Solario Stakes (3:38), comprises six relatively unexposed two year olds with two from the big HQ yards – Sir Michael Stoute’s Starlore and Charlie Appleby’s Aablan – possibly fighting out the finish. My preference is for the latter although the former did win on this course. James Doyle retains the Godolphin ride as William Buick is at Chester for what should be a penalty kick on Military Order. The first Group 3 race, the Atalanta Stakes (2:25), has thrown up its fair share of surprises in recent years and ten contest this year’s renewal, including last year’s winner Potapova, who has failed to go on in four races since but drops back to this grade following a respectable fifth at Royal Ascot. Roman Mist was behind her at Epsom on her previous start, was subsequently eighth in the Kensington Palace so is best judged on her recent neck second in a Group 3 at Ascot. It is difficult to make a case for the two outsiders, Mysterious Love and Novus, who both look out of their depth on official ratings, whilst Nibras Angel has done nothing wrong in winning both her starts but this is a marked step up from an easy win in a Thirsk Novice and it might be a bit harder for her young jockey to dictate the pace here. The Gosden yard supplies two runners but both have questions to answer. Cheekpieces are applied to Queen For You – beaten further at Royal Ascot by Sounds Of Heaven than at York and well behind Midnight Mile at York (possibly did not stay ten furlongs) – whilst Sandringham winner Coppice looks the more likely on form – only a respectable fifth in the Falmouth won by stablemate Nashwa last time. Midnight Mile has shown a respectable level of form running over ten furlongs plus, winning at York before a fair third in the Rose Of Lancaster; however, her trainer is hardly effusive in his Sporting Life column about the drop back to a mile today and that puts me off her. So that leads me to HEREDIA, last year’s Sandringham winner, who had been plying her trade at less than a mile, stepped up and thrashed Purplepay last time at Haydock in a Listed race, which is the best winning form on offer. The ten furlong handicap at 3:00 does not look as competitive as the fourteen runner field might suggest. Quite a few of the outsiders have form figures that indicate how much they are up against it. Certain Lad has not won in ten races since 2020 but missed all of 2021 and ran off an 11lb higher mark in the 2020 Cambridgeshire. Groundbreaker returns from a lay off after wind surgery and was well beaten on the kitty litter in his last race. Great Max is on his second change of yards this season and has not won since his 2021 racecourse debut. Four year old Kitsune Power has also not been troubling the judge and last won on today’s Beverley card in 2022. Dashing Roger’s last win was the Shergar Cup Mile in 2021 and he obviously likes it soft as his third over this trip at Chester on his penultimate start indicates. Skysail steps up in trip but in three starts since his Goodwood win he has raced too keenly and the Sandown uphill finish will find him out if he runs with the choke out. Ironic that a horse called Stay Well is dropping down in trip today but no wins since 2021 and one place on the kitty litter in five 2023 starts offers little encouragement. William Haggas runs two, with Ryan Moore aboard The King’s Educator, who last won (over this trip) when owned by his late mother and was stone last on his only race on soft ground in April. Presumably Tom Marquand selected Gaassee, dropping back to this trip, who is starting to look expensive to follow having not been involved at the finish since last May. At the time of writing, Dual Identity is favourite but this appears to be entirely on the grounds that he is “well handicapped” on his third in the 2022 Cambridgeshire on today’s 4lb lower mark. It is always dangerous to overlook a Sir Mark Prescott runner but Eagle’s Way won all four starts in 2022 and may now be in the grip of the handicapper on a rating of 96. That said he just failed to win a Racing League event at Yarmouth on his penultimate start with Andaleep close behind in fourth; however, that seven year old is now 4lb better off. Eagle’s Way went off favourite at Goodwood last time and was seventh with LORD PROTECTOR a length ahead in sixth. Ralph Beckett’s five year old had previously won over course and distance off a 4lb lower mark than today following up on just being caught over course and distance off a 4lb lower mark that day. Winning today off a career high mark does not look unachievable looking at that 4lb sequence!
The Dubawi colt, Aablan, looks to have an excellent chance in the Group-3 Solario Stakes at Sandown (15:38), run over 7f on the forecast good/good-to-soft ground. James Doyle rides for the Charlie Appleby yard. 11/4 best price in most places at time of writing.
Was not an easy ride at all so James Doyle must take a whole lot of credit for getting the horse home. He really did 'lark' around early-on and I thought this would cost the colt the race. A truly fine ride by James Doyle, but it really was a close call. Am keeping an open mind on Aablan, just haven't a clue how good he really is?
Been out all day and missed all the racing. Didn't even get to see the runners as a very late evening yesterday. Well done with Heredia. Really pleased to see her win again
Credit where it is due to Aablan as he got the job done, although the ITV pundits were really overdoing the stable form angle as Appleby said at the start of the season that he thought he had a decent bunch of juveniles this year. It was no great surprise, but disappointing, to see Military Order trail in last at Chester as the three year olds and older horses have been misfiring since the spring. I wonder what price he is for the Triumph Hurdle. As a piece of form the Solario looks very suspect as a small blanket would have covered the first five home (time nearly three seconds slower than the opening handicap) and it was not just the winner that looked awkward as the Stoute colt Starlore did not settle for Ryan Moore. That said it might throw up a few winners.
Now that they have figured out the right trip and the right tactics there are probably some more races to be won with Heredia as she does not have a lot of miles on the clock. When I re-edited my piece, I managed to delete Ralph Beckett’s other runner, Baltic Voyage, in my assessment of the 3:00 and it briefly led; and my selection (which it turned out was also Pricewise in the Racing Post) never settled and fizzled out in the climb to the finish; however, I will take a fifty per cent strike rate to start the month as I do not expect it to last beyond Sunday.
