Bet365 Classic Trial Day
The Bet365 Classic Trial Day (Friday 27 April) is Sandown's traditional flat-season curtain-raiser. The highlight is the Sandown Classic Trial, a Group 3 race in which potential Derby entrants can continue their progression before possibly being targeted at The Derby. The supporting races on the race card include the Bet365 Esher Cup Handicap, the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes, and the Group 2 Bet365 Mile.
Bet365 Esher Cup Handicap (1.50)
Kings Shield will be bidding to give John Gosden a third winner in this race in the last 10 years but Gosden hasn't trained a winner since 2010. Kings Shield is also rated 4lb higher than any of the last 10 winners, whilst only one of the last 10 winners has managed to carry 9-4 to victory. Seven of the last 10 winners have actually been rated between 85 and 89, whilst all of the last 10 winners had won either their last start or their penultimate start. Those stats point strongly to the chances of Desert Wind and Merlin Magic, with the latter possibly open to more improvement.
Bet365 Esher Cup Handicap Tip: Merlin Magic
Bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (2.25)
4-year-olds have the best recent record in the race having won six of the last 10 renewals, including the last three. Sir Michael Stoute also has a fantastic record in the race, with last year's winner Ulysses making it four wins in the last decade for him. Stoute teamed-up with Ryan Moore for three of those wins and the pair team-up again with Crystal Ocean this year. Already the top rated horse, the four-year-old looks the sort of late-maturing type that tends to blossom as they get older and stronger under Stoute's patient tutelage.
Bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes Tip: Crystal Ocean
Bet365 Classic Trial (3.00)
The Bet365 Classic Trial, a puzzle for even the most successful horse racing tipster, has produced a real mix of winners over the last 10 years, with some winners having won their only race, whilst others have previously been winless having had up to 6 runs. SP's haven't been much of an indicator to the true chances of the winners either with the Industry Starting Price ranging from 1/2 to 25/1. John Gosden has the best record with three wins in the last 10 years but, though Sevenna Star has a favourites chance, jockey Frankie Dettori hasn't ridden a winner of the race since 2007. There are also some interesting opponents including the Aidan O'Brien trained Hunting Horn and the well-bred Ispolini for Charlie Appleby. However, Chilean looked to have improved when winning a Group 3 on his seasonal reappearance and is two from two in the hands of Oisin Murphy.
Bet365 Classic Trial Tip: Chilean
Bet365 Mile (3.35)
Six of the last 10 winners have either been trained by Richard Hannon or Richard Hannon Jnr, and the Hannon Jnr-trained Khafoo Shemimi looks sure to have been targeted at the race having won on both his previous visits to Sandown. He has a bit to find at the weights though, as does Addeybb who impressed when winning the Lincoln Handicap in March. Therefore, Stormy Antarctic is preferred as he's one from at Sandown and he won't mind if any more rain falls.
Bet365 Mile Tip: Stormy Antarctic
