Racing fans across the UK and Ireland are in for a treat on Wednesday with excellent action from Sandown, Yarmouth and Listowel. Sam King returns with three selections including a strong fancy in the feature at Sandown.
Born Ruler looks just the type of horse Sir Mark Prescott excels with and he can follow up a recent commanding course and distance success in the Racing TV Handicap at Sandown (4.50).
The recently gelded son of Kingman shaped nicely when third over the mile-and-a-quarter trip at Chelmsford last month and seemingly took a nice step forward to make a winning turf debut here just five days ago.
He travelled powerfully in the hands of Luke Morris on that first turf outing last week before coming with a powerful run down the outside of the field, eventually clearing away for a comfortable three-and-a-half length success. Sir Mark Prescott is no stranger to running up a winning sequence with horses of a similar profile, and with further progress surely on the cards, he's taken to make light work of the 6lb penalty he carries for that empathic victory last week.
Selection: Born Ruler – General 5/4
Earlier on the card, the feature Listed Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes sees eight going to post at 3.40.
The admirable Chindit holds every chance on the formbook, but Richard Hannon is often quoted saying how this horse wants quick ground and he's unlikely to get that at the Esher venue this afternoon. Furthermore, he carries a 5lb penalty for that success in the Group 3 Superior Mile 11 days ago and Knight is readily preferred.
A rating of 111 puts him just 4lb off that of Chindit and Richard Hannon's charge will surely struggle to give away 9lb to the lightly-raced three-year-old.
Connections understandably aimed high for his three-year-old campaign following an impressive display on heavy ground in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury on his final outing at two. He disappointed in the Greenham Stakes on his reappearance before being subsequently gelded and given a break.
The son of Mehmas returned from a break with a fine effort to finish fourth in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood last month and backed that effort up by finding only Angel Bleu too strong in the Group 2 Celebration Mile over the same course and distance.
There looks sure to be plenty of cut in the ground at Sandown this afternoon and with first-time cheekpieces applied to eke out some possible improvement, I'd be disappointed if Simon and Ed Crisford's gelding cannot get off the mark this season before going back up in grade.
Selection: Knight – General 7/4
The Listed EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' Stakes at Yarmouth (3.45) looks a cracker. In all truth, Al Asifah should take plenty of stopping in her bid to get back to winning ways for a stable that clearly targets this race and with that in mind, our third selection comes from elsewhere on the card.
It's been a somewhat disappointing season for the boys in blue, but Charlie Appleby is still ticking over at a healthy 25% for the last fortnight and his filly Romantic Style went straight into my tracker after an eye-catching debut run at Newbury.
The daughter Night Of Thunder lost pretty much all chance of getting competitive on debut when slowly away and continued to show distinct signs of greenness throughout the early stages. It wasn't until the two-furlong marker that she actually began to get the hang of things and although her winning chance was clearly gone by then, she made up some nice late ground to finish a never-nearer seventh under hands and heels riding.
I'd expect William Buick's mount to have learnt bundles for that experience and with a sizeable step forward on the cards, she can get off the mark at the second attempt for a stable that has a decent record with juveniles at this seaside venue.
Selection: Romantic Style – General 15/8
