1600m – Turf
Horse Racing
Season
3yo+ Handicap – Form Comments
| 1 | South Seas | Clearly happy on this track, his only previous visit here resulting in a G3 win over 1400m. Some disappointments and long absences have followed but he ran quite an encouraging fourth – meeting traffic as he tried to challenge – at Chester last time. |
| 2 | Escobar | Best on fast ground, with this trip ideal as he showed when coming with a strong surge from the back to win a Haydock handicap in June. Admittedly he had dropped to an easier handicap mark after some disappointing runs for a different stable. |
| 3 | Raising Sand | A five times winner who is making his debut at this track. Well backed to win a hugely competitive Royal Ascot handicap over the straight 1600m last month but slow from the gates, his task was then very difficult – doing well to finish seventh of 30. |
| 4 | Original Choice | Looked like a progressive handicapper when winning at Wetherby in May, accelerating impressively, and holding on after idling in the closing stages. He is interesting but would be even more interesting if the ground turned softer. |
| 5 | Daira Prince | Gelded prior to his two starts this season and fitted with blinkers, this lightly-raced four-year-old has clearly improved winning both times. Last time he met traffic and had to be shuffled back but then showed decisive acceleration at Ripon. |
| 6 | Pouvoir Magique | Seems to have improved since being gelded and dropped back to this trip. Impressive – though possibly helped by racing on a faster strip of ground than some of his rivals -when winning at Newbury. Valid excuses for a dismal show last time. |
| 7 | Secret Art | A six-time winner on the turf but his best form has come on a slow surface. Usually races prominently and sometimes leads, he was twice a winner of handicaps on all-weather surfaces – including at this trip – in recent months. |
| 8 | Via Serendipity | Has produced a batch of good efforts since joining his current stable. Always up with the pace he delivered a career best performance when winning over this course and distance on his latest start. Expected fast ground ideal. |
| 9 | Masham Star | From a stable that keeps its horses busy, and Masham Star has run some good and not so good races in recent months. On top form last time however when – in and out of the lead – he proved too strong for four rivals on fast ground at Windsor. |
| 10 | Isomer | Pulled out of a race because of firm ground recently but he has won on fast conditions. He comes here in good shape having responded well to strong pressure from today’s talented apprentice rider to win on the all-weather over this trip. |
| 11 | Manson | Has proved expensive to follow winning just one of his 13 turf starts. However – returning from a 255-day break and blinkered for the first time – he finished strongly to get quite close to a shock win over this course and distance in June. Needs fast ground. |
| 12 | Master Carpenter | The winner of six of his 47 starts including over this course and distance. Without a win for over a year and, though his handicap mark is looking better, his trainer has said before that over 1600m he really needs soft ground – unlikely here. |
| 13 | Rufus King | Usually competes over shorter distances and made no show – finishing last of 30 – in a Royal Ascot handicap over this distance last month. He is slipping down the handicap but still doesn’t look an obvious winner of this competitive affair. |
| 14 | Chiefofchiefs | Quirky and needs plenty of cover, but talented as he showed when landing a handicap over this course and distance in May, his jockey able to bury him away before challenging. Back here last month, his forward surge came too late. |
| 15 | Tigre du Terre | In good shape on all starts in 2018, including leading from the gates to thrash his rivals in a novices’ event two starts back. Also led in a much stronger event at Maisons-Laffitte last month, running a good second with the first two clear of the rest. |
| 16 | Rum Runner | His two career wins have come here at Sandown though over 1400m. Latterly last month when sitting close to the pace and showing a good attitude in the closing stages. Up 5lb in ratings but he is still unexposed and the quick ground will suit. |
Others
06/07/2018
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06/07/2018
