The Coral Eclipse may not be a betting race but there are plenty of options elsewhere on a competitive card at Sandown. My best bet on the card is HOLLOWAY BOY in the 1m handicap. Karl Burke‘s classy 4 year old was a very unlucky loser in the Hunt Cup as he met plenty of traffic before ending up a fast finishing 5th. That was a fine effort considering the weight he was carrying and he faces an equally tough test tomorrow with another welter burden to shoulder but I think he is better than a handicapper and this represents a slight drop in class. Unproven around Sandown, his preference for a straight track is slightly worrying but I hope the stiff finish will play to his strengths. If the rain stays away he will be my headline selection tomorrow.
Up at Haydock, I expect the rain to get into the ground which may help speculative selection, LOCAL ARMS, in the 2.05. Another Karl Burke inmate, she was clearly well thought of last year as a two year old as she was highly tried and she returned this year with a underwhelming effort at Goodwood. I’m guessing connections were thinking the 10f trip on fast ground wouldn’t have suited her so the switch up to 1m 6f on softer ground should see an improvement in her performance. It is speculative as I said but we are getting 33/1 around the speculation and something I would be confident about is that she will prove better than a mark of 84 before the season is out.
The Old Newton Cup looks to me like the race of the day and I’m going to have two punts at it. First up is the more obvious selection, EPIC POET, who seems to be a winner in waiting after two runs at York and Ascot both suggested his turn wasn’t too far away. Staying on over 1m 2f at York, he relished the step up to 1m 4f at the Royal meeting as he steamed home in a hot renewal of the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes. Both runs are good form and the prospect of soft ground shouldn’t hold any fears tomorrow. At 10/1 he is a belting each way bet.
SHEER ROCKS ran in the same Ascot race but that run looked very much like a prep run as it was his first run back in almost a year. His last run before that was a close 5th in this race last year and I don’t think it is a coincidence that connections are here again tomorrow with that run now under his belt. He gets in off a nice low weight which is always a help here at Haydock as that last furlong seems a mile long more often than not. I am expecting a positive showing at a decent each way price.
Sandown 2.25 – Holloway Boy
Haydock 2.05 – Local Arms
Haydock 3.15 – Epic Poet / Sheer Rocks
