Sandown Friday Preview - 23/04/21

The first race of the day at Sandown is the bet365 Handicap over five furlongs and the Richard Hughes trained Nelson Gay is the pick on form.

The three year old gelding showed plenty of ability last season, but only starting converting it into wins of late, landing his last two races and heads into this event seeking a hat-trick.

In November on the all weather he finished a good second at Lingfield behind a nice type for Les Eyre and then backed that up at Southwell when stepped up to six furlongs managing to break his maiden tag at the seventh time of asking.

Dropped back down to five furlongs after a small break at Wolverhampton, he picked up where he left off to win another nice event.

Getting back to the turf, whilst getting weight off the field makes him a huge player.

The Esher Cup Handicap over a mile comes next and it sees a decent field of runners head to post and Rifleman for John & Thady Gosden is our pick.

The three year old has been seen three times during his short career, needing the experience on debut when out the back at Newbury.

However, he learnt a lot for that run and finished a superb second next time out over seven furlongs at Kempton behind the expensive Noble Dynasty.

He again came on for that run and finally got off the mark on his latest start over the same course and distance at Kempton, with the second placed horse since going on to win next time out.

The son of The Gurkha looks set for a big three year old campaign and needs to be taken seriously on what looks a nice mark for his first handicap event.

The first big race of the day at the Esher track is the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes and we are siding with Waldkonig.

The four year old for trainers John & Thady Gosden looks to be a highly talented half brother to Arc winner Waldgeist, who was planning to have a big three year old career, but it looks as though this term will realistically be his best.

The son of Kingman has only been seen four times in his career, bolting up on debut at Wolverhampton by nine lengths on his sole run as a juvenile.

He was saved for his three year old campaign and although running to a good standard, ultimately was disappointing for the hype that was built around him.

The colt went to Newmarket and finished third behind Saudi Cup and Duabi Sheema Classic winning stablemate Mishriff on his seasonal debut and then backed that up at Haydock when a narrow second behind the smart Highest Ground for Sir Michael Stoute, with both of them pulling clear of the third.

Back for another campaign this term, he got back to winning ways at Pontefract in a handicap event, winning comfortably in the end.

Having had a prep run for this event it could make all the difference and at odds of 11/4 we believe he can reverse the form with Highest Ground, who is yet to be seen this term.

The feature race of the day is the Group Two bet365 Mile and with only four runners heading to post, we can't get away from the favourite Palace Pier.

The son of Kingman has been pretty much faultless to date, winning both his starts as a juvenile, starting at Sandown back in August winning a nice maiden and then going on to back that up over the same course and distance.

He made his seasonal debut at Newcastle on the all weather seeing off a stern effort from the Richard Fahey trained Acquitted but off the back of that he improved a massive amount to hunt down Pinatubo late in the day at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Having four wins from four races, he put his unbeaten run on the line in the Group One Jacques Le Marois and in heavy ground cleared away from the field with the Jessica Harrington trained Alpine Star the closest to him.

That set him up perfectly for his final run of the season in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day, but unfortunately he had to settle for third and lost his unbeaten record.

Back for another season this term, this event looks a stepping stone to bigger things and should go well.

The Group Three bet365 Classic Trial is always a superb race every year and this season we believe to picked out a value horse in the Trawlerman.

The John & Thady Gosden trained colt was seen once last year when finishing third of nine in a Maiden and he learnt a lot for the experience.

He was given a break and returned as a three year old in March upped in trip to 1m4f at Wolverhampton and was again a nice third.

The son of Golden Horn made his turf debut last time out at Pontefract and revelled in the 12 furlongs and quick ground to beat a small but resolute field by close to nine lengths.

This Group Three is much tougher but he is sure to keep on improving and the manor of his last win was extremely taking at 8/1 he looks worth a punt.

The penultimate event of the afternoon at Sandown is the Fillies' Novice Stakes over 1m2f and the Marcus Tregoning trained Haizoom could be a nice prospect.

The daughter of Sea The Stars has slightly more experience than most of the field being seen once in her career and looking like desperately needing the experience when ninth of 10 runners over a mile at Lingfield.

Stepping up a trip and making her turf debut will all see her be much better than her debut, but being one of the few runners to have a run already might just be the key factor in this event.

The final event of the day is the Class 3 Handicap over 1m2f and experience could be key in this event and Fabilis for Ralph Beckett has a fair bit of it for his age.

The three year old made his debut in August at Newbury and did not appreciate the soft ground, but next time out on better ground got off the mark at Chepstow over seven furlongs.

Stepped up to 8.5 furlongs in September at Nottingham he made it back to back wins seeing off a fair field in a Nursery Handicap.

In October the son of Frankel was moved back onto soft ground in the Group Three Zetland Stakes over 1m2f and although hating the ground was a fair fourth.

He was last seen in January making his all weather debut at Southwell and seemed to not get on with the surface and ran no race at all.

Getting back to the turf with quick conditions on offer makes him a big player 11/2.