SANDOWN CLASSIC TRIAL CARD: Two rare days when Flat and Jumps are side by side in the calendar at the same venue, both with a purpose without overwhelming each other. First, Sandown Classic Trial day today. Daqman goes through the card.
TRAINERS’ TITLE-RACE FINALE: Tomorrow, the Sandown Finale, features the Sandown Gold Cup and the Celebration Chase but whose celebration? Dan Skelton only narrowly leads Willie Mullins £3,341,776 to £3,284,057
GOOD MORNING, CAPTAIN..
⭕ 1.15 Sandown STATS: The low five stalls have won this nine times out of 10.
There are two question marks against End Of Story: is there enough cut in the ground for this October winner at York (soft), and can he go well first time out despite moving this month from trainer-in-form Kevin Ryan to trainer-out-of-form Mark Loughnane?
Another switching first time out to a stable in the doldrums (Jim Boyle is 0-12) is Lightning Bear from Ireland.
The one I like is Captain Kinsella (stall 2), who starts quickly and should be fit from a March third at Southwell. Solid each way at around 10-1 this morning.
LOST IS A CUP WINNER FOUND
⭕ 1.50 Sandown (Esher Cup) STATS: The three stalls on the high side (5, 6, 7) have won seven out of nine.
San Juanito (5) would be going for a hat-trick if this were Wolverhampton but here he is stepping up a couple of grades for his first run on turf.
Fifth Column (7), a Kingman, has had decent form on AW but was put in his place by a Ralph Beckett novice in the autumn.
Beckett, then, will know the score with Seraph Gabriel (2) but I prefer The Lost King (6), another Kingman but whose Frankel dam has him related to Oaks winners Talent and Bireme.
SEE THE FIRE WELL DRAWN
⭕ 2.25 Sandown (Gordon Richards Stakes) STATS: Six out of eight winners drawn 1, 2, 3.
This is Team Gosden’s race and they have Peace Man coming out of the one stall but six-year-olds don’t win this Group 3.
Nor do seven (Royal Champion) and eight (Al Aasy)! Royal Champion was clearly going to aim high after his Winter Derby but Al Aasy has always needed a run back. Almaquam won here last Spring at Listed level.
Charlie Appleby will be hoping there is cut in the ground for Arabian Crown but the filly, See The Fire (3), likes a sound surface.
HAATEM TEAM IN FINE FORM
⭕ 3.00 Sandown (the Mile) STATS: Stalls 6, 7, 8 have won six out of eight.
Haatem won two Group-3 contests, including the Craven Stakes, in the early half of last season and ran second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
Dancing Gemini, French Guineas runner-up, needs plenty of cut. So, too, Alcantor for Andre Fabre, and Sun Chariot winner, Tamfana.
Alcantor was a long way behind Haatem on good ground and, with Richard Hannon having a fine start to the season, is taken to beat Lead Artist, who progressed to Group-2 places in the autumn.
O’BRIEN TO TAKE TRIAL SWAG
⭕ 3.35 Sandown (Classic Trial) STATS: Andrew Balding (3), John Gosden (2). A race to watch.
Gosden has the Frankel colt, Damysus, in this, while Balding runs Windlord, third in a Group 2 to the Futurity winner, Hotazhell. Swagman (Aidan O’Brien) was Group-3 placed to Hotazhell.
Westover, the 2022 Classic Trial winner, finished third in the Epsom Derby for Ralph Beckett, whose I Am I Said won on the debut.
STORMY FINISH TO THE DAY
⭕ 4.45 Sandown STATS: Winner by stall (seven seasons): 1, 4, 3, 3, 2, 4, 4.
Many Men (1) goes for a hat-trick, after a 10lb rise between success at Newmarket and Doncaster, bridging the close season.
Too Darn Hot’s son, Stormy Monday (4), is out of a Frankel sister to a St Leger and Irish Derby winner.
DAQMAN’S BETS on Betdaq Betting Exchange
1.15 Sandown (win-50 bull’s-eye bet)
BET 5pts win and place CAPTAIN KINSELA
1.50 Sandown (win 25)
BET 4pts win THE LOST KING
2.05 Perth (win 25)
BET 3pts win INIS OIRR
★ 3.00 Sandown (win 30, nap)
BET 6pts win HAATEM
4.45 Sandown (win-50 bull’s-eye bet)
BET 7pts win STORMY MONDAY
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