Although the headline race is the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on Saturday, there is an exciting under-card featuring the Group 3 Coral Charge and the Listed Coral Distaff.
Although the headline race is the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on Saturday, there is an exciting under-card featuring the Group 3 Coral Charge and the Listed Coral Distaff.
In the 5f Group 3 Coral Charge (1:50), early season French Group 3 winner Marshman heads the betting for trainer Karl Burke. Although he has subsequently placed in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene, the three-year-old has not shown the same level of form as his Prix Sigy success and should probably be opposed.
The Clive Cox yard have a possible contender in Get Ahead, who took the Listed Cecil Frail over six furlongs at Haydock before being denied a short head in the Group 2 Prix Gros-Chene over shorter. She is probably better over five furlongs, and a success would be well-within her capabilities.
WIN: GET AHEAD
Stenton Glider returns to a UK racecourse after her strong second in the Group 2 German 2000 Guineas and deserves to achieve a Listed win in the 1m Coral Distaff (3:00). A winner of her sole start as a juvenile, she out-ran all expectations on seasonal reappearance when second in the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes before disappointing in the 1000 Guineas. She's not up to top-level company but can show her best form in this class.
Her main opposition could be the improving Back See Daa from the Karl Burke yard, who had a winner at the meeting on Friday with Kylian. The filly has improved with each racecourse start and broke through for a well-deserved maiden success on the fourth time of asking when scoring by three lengths at Newbury in a novice stakes. She seemed to relish the step up to a mile and appears to be progressing.
WIN: STENTON GLIDER
The 1m Class 2 Coral Challenge (2:25) is usually a very competitive handicap and Indemnify heads the betting on his stable debut for trainer Alice Haynes. He showed significant improvement for former trainer Roger Varian on his first start after a gelding operation winning a course and distance handicap in late May. He's been seen to best effect over a mile and remains on a fair handicap mark.
The Varian stable will be hoping that a first-time hood brings about improvement to Perotto who has been racing well in big-field handicaps since his move to the yard. Seventh in the Victoria Cup over seven furlongs, the gelding finished tenth in the Royal Hunt Cup and is a previous winner at the track.
Of the longer priced runners, Spirit Catcher makes plenty of appeal for the Charlie Johnston stable. He was gelded before his 2023 campaign and has finished runner-up on both starts so far including when only beaten a nose at Newcastle on the all-weather last time. He wouldn't want the ground to dry out too much, but he should be fairly competitive off his current rating.
WIN: SPIRIT CATCHER
RACING & SPORT SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – GET AHEAD
RACE 2 – SPIRIT CATCHER
RACE 3 – STENTON GLIDER
RACE 4 – PADDINGTON
RACE 5 – PARADIAS
RACE 6 – NOVUS
RACE 7 - ENTRANCEMENT
