2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Preview & Tips – DS
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Preview
We fired a blank at the Curragh and Musselburgh on Sunday. Thankfully, we haven’t had too many blanks so far this season and hopefully, we can get back on track this weekend. Check out Dave Stevos’ 2024 Sandown & Perth Friday tips below.
1.15 Sandown – Bet365 Handicap (Class 2)
These 3yo early season handicaps are always a minefield. Six of the ten runner field are making their seasonal reappearances and all of them have won at least one race. It is a competitive heat and the bookies make Miaharris the narrow 9/2 fav for Burrows and Buick.
She won her maiden over this C&D on good ground and she ran with credit in a G3 on soft on her last start of 2023 at Newmarket. Burrows had a nice winner with Deira Mile at Windsor earlier this week so his horses seem to be in form and this daughter of Zoustar should go well. However, no horse has won this when drawn higher than 6 since 2009 and Miaharris starts from stall 8.
Well drawn
Richard Fahey landed us a lovely winner with Pretty Crystal last week and Dark Vintage, nicely drawn in stall 4, represents him here. This is a fascinating runner. The son of Dark Angel was formerly trained in the US by Wesley Ward and then Peter Eurton. He raced solely on fast ground over there and on the form of his third run in Listed company, a mark of 96 may not be beyond him.
In that Listed race at Santa Anita he split Slider and April Vintage. The 1.25L winner, Slider, ran big in a G2 last time out, finishing third behind two of Bob Baffert’s horses. He was 3L behind Muth, who hacked up in a G1 on his next outing at Oaklawn last month. Previously, Slider finished just 3.25L behind Big Evs at the Breeders’ Cup and he’s rated 113.
Now, this straight 5f will be very different to anything Dark Vintage has encountered before so there is a chance he may not handle it. However, he’ll like the ground, his US form is solid and he could be well treated off 96. Dark Vintage isn’t one for maximum stakes but at 16/1, a small e/w interest is advised.
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Tip: Dark Vintage e/w @ 16/1 (4 places Betfred)
1.30 Perth – AK bets Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
The first of two races from Perth on Friday is this medium grade handicap hurdle. Twelve run and unlike at Sandown, the ground up North is soft. While his form has fallen off a cliff since moving to Phil Kirby, I am going to take a chance on Jason The Militant rediscovering his mojo in the Scottish air.
How can I be tipping up a horse with form figures of 0955P that has been beaten at least 20L whenever he has completed this season? Well, he is down to a mark of 118 (from 154 when he moved from Henry De Bromhead’s) and my angle here is the fact he is tackling 16f on soft ground on a right handed track for the first time for Phil Kirby.
Right Handed Form
Every single one of his eight runs for Kirby have come going left handed. Now, he did manage to win one race over hurdles in his career going to the left but overall, his form figures going that way round read 51U3497P0955P. When he has gone right handed at 16f on testing ground his form figures read 213317.
The two thirds came in Grade 3 and Grade 1 company and the second win was a Grade 3. A reproduction of any of those efforts would see him hack up here. Has Kirby been waiting for his mark to drop to run him on a right handed track and go for a touch? It’s a possibility, but it’s also possible he’s lost his form for good. With odds of 25/1 available, it is worth taking a chance that the former scenario holds true.
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Tip: Jason The Militant e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
1.50 Sandown – Esher Cup Handicap (Class 2)
A bitterly disappointing turnout for this mile handicap with just seven horses going to post. Like the opener, this is restricted to 3yos and there’s some very promising sorts in this contest. With a few firms paying three places, I was tempted to take a chance on Nellie Laylax here.
Trained by Tom Dascombe, this son of Calyx has been gelded since his last run. That was an excellent effort in a 100k sales race at York (7f sft) where he finished fourth, a head behind Grey Cuban in third. He was conceding 7lbs to that rival and he is now rated 90 after hosing up in a Wolverhampton novice by 8L on his reappearance last month.
However, Dascombe also has him entered at Haydock on Saturday and unlike Sandown, the ground is testing there. Nellie Laylax has one decent run on good ground but his two wins last year came on soft/heavy, including one at Haydock. I’d imagine he’ll pitch up there and if he does, this field will be reduced to just six. I think it’s probably best to leave this race alone, no bet.
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Tip: No Bet
2.05 Perth – Highland National Handicap Chase (Class 3)
In the last few weeks we have landed the winners of the Aintree Grand National and the Midlands National. Can we make it a hat trick in the Highlands? The only one here that makes any appeal at double figure odds is Bretney and I’m hoping the return to a softer surface elicits a better performance than he produced when pulled up at Cheltenham a week ago (28f gd).
Previous to that tame effort the son of Milan went down by a nose at Warwick (29f sft) off 112. On his last start on a right handed track he hacked up at Sandown (24f sft) off 105. He races off 116 here, which is a career high mark for the 9yo, but he’s only 4lbs higher than when narrowly defeated at Warwick.
The blinkers replace the cheekpieces and he has won in them before. His trainer Henry Daly is based 330 miles away in Shropshire and when he sends horses to Perth, they tend to run well (6/25 with another 10 Top 4 finishes). Sam Twiston Davies has form figures of 2312P aboard Bretney, hopefully he can add another 1, 2 or 3 to that sequence at odds of 11/1.
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Tip: Bretney e/w @ 11/1
2.25 Sandown – Gordon Richards Stakes (Group 3)
Just seven runners and with the majority of bookies paying two places, I’m going to sit this one out. Artistic Star won his only start over C&D on his seasonal reappearance last year but this is a tougher proposition. The market leaders are well clear on the figures and they’ll probably come to the fore. No bet.
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Tip: No Bet
3.00 Sandown – bet365 Mile (Group 2)
Another seven runner affair, this one a Group 2. Witch Hunter was a horse that broke my heart last season. I tipped him up twice, in the Lincoln at Doncaster (finished 20th) and he was my NB at Haydock later that month (finished 10th of 11).
In between those runs he was beat a head at big odds at Newcastle and subsequently, when we weren’t on, he was placed at 50s at Chester and he then won at 50s at Royal Ascot. To rub salt into the wound, he then went on to win a Newbury G3 at 12/1. It would be fair to say he isn’t one of my favourite horses…
He returns from a well deserved break here and while he did win once when fresh, usually he has tended to need his first run back. Pogo has gone well after an absence in the past but you’d think he’ll need this too at the age of 8. Apart from those two, the rest are all 8/1 or shorter.
The likes of Lord North, Charyn and Nostrum will more than likely dominate here. If I tip Witch Hunter, he’ll probably finish last so with just the two places on offer again, I’m going to keep the powder dry. No bet.
2024 Sandown & Perth Friday Tip: No Bet
3.35 Sandown – Bet365 Classic Trial (Group 3)
The one that looks most overpriced to me in this Group 3 is Prince Rasam. Trained by Micheal Bell, this son of Masar won his sole start as a 2yo. He beat a horse called Deira Mile over 10f at Chelmsford and that horse is now rated 109 and is bound for the Epsom Derby. Deira Mile also had an experience edge heading into that race so it was an excellent effort from Bell’s charge.
Prince Rasam’s dam won in Italy and is related to a G3 and Listed winner over there. His sire, Masar, didn’t set the world alight with his first crop but given that he won the Derby as a 3yo, you’d imagine his progeny will progress from 2yo to 3yo.
This colt is entered up in the Dante and the Derby so clearly, he must be showing Bell something at home. The horse he beat on debut is rated higher than all his opponents here, the question is whether he’ll be equally as effective on turf. His lack of experience at this level is another worry but his odds of 33/1 are big enough to warrant a small e/w interest. Hopefully he’s fully fit and we get a decent run for our money.
