2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Preview – DS
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Preview
We had to make do with a solitary place at York last weekend. Our NAP, Royal Dubai, ran a flat race and never really looked like threatening. Wise Eagle missed the break in the Ebor and was always on the back foot. Sun God managed to land the place money at 22/1 so at least we avoided the dreaded blank. Hopefully we can get back amongst the winners this weekend, our 2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday tips are below.
1.50 Sandown – Sky Bet Handicap (Class 3)
Just five were declared for the opener at Beverley so we’ll swerve that one and start with this Class 3 contest. Ten are due to go to post and it looks a pretty open heat. We backed Accidental Agent two weeks ago on his seasonal return at Newbury. It looked like he was going to finish out the back but he stayed on strongly in the closing stages for Mia Nicholls and he was only beaten 2.5L for the win behind Lethal Levi.
The handicapper has dropped the old boy to 91 for that effort and with Nicholls taking off 5lb again, he is effectively racing off 86. That initial outing should have sharpened Accidental Agent up significantly and he now drops in class into an easier race.
It must be said that most of this fella’s best form has come on straight tracks, which is a concern. However, he has won and placed going right handed around Kempton so he has proved he can win going around a bend and he should get a decent pace to aim at here. I saw enough promise in his comeback run to warrant backing him e/w again at odds of 12/1.
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Accidental Agent e/w @ 12/1 NAP
2.05 Beverley – Beverley Bullet Stakes (Listed)
Clive Cox has won the last three renewals of this Listed heat. He won’t be completing the four timer though as he is not represented this year. Seven sprinters have been declared and you couldn’t really discount any of them.
Clarendon House, a Listed winner at Cork in June, is the top rated at 111. He carries a 3lb penalty for that Mallow win but he has blotted his copybook with two relatively ordinary efforts since. I hope Commanche Falls wins but with just seven runners and none bigger than 8/1, I can’t see much e/w value here. No bet.
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: No Bet
2.25 Sandown – Atalanta Stakes (Group 3)
This looks like a gilt edged opportunity for Tamfana to get back to winning ways. The 1000 Guineas fourth has run well in G1 company the last twice and this represents a big drop in class. She enjoys a cut in the ground but her Guineas effort came on decent ground and she should have too much class for these rivals.
For each way players, Naomi Lapaglia could go well at a price. She has a fair bit to find on the ratings with a few of these and she has to give weight to the 3yos, which isn’t ideal. However, she hasn’t got much to find with Choisya (9/1) and Doom (8/1) and a few of the younger fillies have questions to answer after their last efforts. Richard Spencer’s horses are in fine form, hopefully Naomi Lapaglia can continue his good run at odds of 20/1.
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Naomi Lapaglia e/w @ 20/1 NB
2.40 Chester – Livescorebet Handicap (Class 2)
The interesting one here at a nice e/w price is Gorak. Trained by Charlie Fellowes, this 5yo son of Goken has run a couple of cracking races this season. Back in May he was beaten a short head by Carrytheone at Newmarket off a mark of 95. He is now 6lbs better off with that rival.
On his last start at Epsom earlier this week Gorak was again narrowly denied, beaten just 0.75l into third. He has never won around here before but on his last visit he ran a lovely race to finish second so we know he handles the track. He can front run, but he can also be held up so his draw in stall 10 isn’t that big of a hindrance. At odds of 16/1, Gorak is the e/w selection.
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Gorak e/w @ 16/1 (5 places)
3.00 Sandown – Skybet Handicap (Class 2)
A few of these would probably like to see a drop of rain overnight but there is none forecast. I’d be tempted by Dambuster if there was a little bit of cut in the ground but the track is likely to dry out. Wonder Legend would like to see some rain too and Flying Frontier may need a bit of respite from the handicapper. Sean looks the most likely winner to me but he is no good to the blog at odds of 4/1. A no bet race.
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: No Bet
3.15 Chester – Chester Stakes (Listed)
Hugo Palmer has his horses in good shape at the moment and surely Rajinsky is a touch overpriced here at odds of 18/1. First of all, he has a fine record when returning from breaks of 84 days or longer. He has career form figures of 134111 after such absences and he is back from 398 days off today.
One of his best ever runs came here in the Chester Cup in 2023 when he was beaten just 2.25L off 108. He has already won at Listed level, beating Trueshan on his seasonal reappearance last year, and both his previous runs at this venue have been excellent efforts. Jason Hart is 14/73 with 30 top 4 finishes when riding for Palmer, hopefully he can get a good tune out of Rajinsky at odds of 18/1.
2024 Sandown & Beverley Saturday Tip: Rajinsky e/w @ 18/1
3.35 Sandown – Solario Stakes (Group 3)
Annoyingly, only seven run here due to the defection of An Outlaw’s Grace. Most firms are only paying two places now but a couple are paying three so I am going to have a bet and at odds of 16/1, Hott Shott could go well for Richard Hughes and Rossa Ryan.
By Too Darn Hot, this colt ran a lovely race on debut at Kempton back in May. He finished third, just 2.75l behind Wimbledon Hawkeye and that horse is now rated 109 after a pair of fine efforts in a Group 2 at Newmarket and a Group 3 at York.
On his second start at Goodwood Hott Shott dead heated with Spell Master. He went on to run a cracker in a hot nursery at York off 86 so his form stands up to scrutiny. The lightly raced maiden winners at the head of the market probably have ‘sexier’ profiles but I like Hughes’ charge’s form and at odds of 16/1, a small e/w interest is advised.
