The classic generation have won the mile handicap at Sandown five times in the last six years and they are doubly represented this evening with William Haggas saddling the recent Windsor winner Wekeyll and Roger Varian American Artist (6.35) and it is the latter who gets the vote.
The selection has gone off market leader for all four careers starts so he obviously shows plenty at home in Newmarket but the booking of William Buick suggests a big run is expected and the yard remain in good form. The older horses look thoroughly exposed and the 8lbs weight-for-age certainly helps at this time of the season.
Big Chill (7.45) remains a maiden after eleven starts, and is creeping up the weights as a result of his consistency, but I hope the drop back to 7f will do the trick in a tight five-runner handicap. I would expect jockey Jim Crowley to make plenty of use of his charge. Chevallier has his first start for Karl Burke having left Richard Hannon since landing a Leicester claimer last time.
At Lingfield Important Message (3.20) steps up to a-mile-and-a-half for the first time and, whilst there are mixed messages in his pedigree about his ability to stay, he stayed on all the way to the line over a mile when runner up at Bath last time.
The debutante Galloping Anger and Pure Line are considered the main dangers in a decent 3yo+ maiden for this time of the season.
At Leicester Cape Rosie (9.00) has shaped with promise in three maidens and starts life handicapping off what looks an attractive mark. Connections will be desperate to get a win next to the name of this well-bred daughter of Cape Cross and a market move would be worth noting.
At Catterick Valko (2.00) drops back a furlong having ran well in two starts including at Doncaster last time. The son of Oasis Dream pulled hard last time and connections might decide to let him go from the front. The Mark Johnston inmate Highly Sprung disappointed last time but had shown enough previously to suggest he was well up to winning a modest maiden.
Johnston might have his revenge over Charlie Appleby courtesy of Montsarrat (3.00) who made a winning start at Salisbury and is entitled to come on for that experience. Hibou is blinkered for the first time having ran poorly at Kempton last time but has been well supported on all three starts and, if the headgear works the oracle, can give the selection plenty to think about.
At Naas Johnny Murtagh looks to have found an ideal race for his 3-y-old filly Stroll Patrol (7.35) who was formerly trained in Newmarket by Philip McBride. The selection won a valuable handicap at the Curragh only last weekend and looked well up to listed class on that evidence. If in the same mood she will be very hard to beat.
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