Sandown Eclipse Festival Tips

Sandown's biggest Flat meeting of the season begins on Friday, with the build-up to Saturday's famous Group 1, the Eclipse over 1m2f.

The day one action includes three Listed races across the seven-race card, with the Esher Stakes (16:50) the likely feature. There are also some high-quality handicaps on offer.

There are seven races in all at Sandown on Friday and we have selected our best bets in all of them.

13:55 - Style Awards On Ladies Day Amateur Jockeys' Handicap (1m)

In amateur riders' races, the name to look out for on the Flat for many years now has been Simon Walker. His ride in this is MARSH BENHAM, who after a couple of disappointing performances in the spring bounced back with a solid second at Lingfield earlier in the week. He was fourth in this race last year, when it was limited to female amateur riders. That was his only previous visit to Sandown, but he has run plenty of good races under similar conditions in the past and can be expected to lay down a big challenge here.

Selection: Marsh Benham

14:30 - Dragon Stakes (Listed, 5f)

This is a chance for early two-year-olds to stamp down an impressive performance and gain some black type. There is no need to make this one complicated. By far the best form belongs to AESTERIUS, who was a close-up fifth in the Norfolk Stakes on his second start just over a fortnight ago. He had been an unusually expensive breeze-up purchase before he made his racecourse debut and so his case is built on more than just a couple of performances on the track. He should have the edge over The Actor, who was mid-field in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Selection: Aesterius

15:05 - Davies Group Handicap (5f)

Topweight EQUILATERAL has spent a career in Pattern races, including Group 1s and he has run in a Group 3 at this meeting before. However, when he has been dropped into handicap he has always won. He is three from three in races like this, his most recent visit to handicaps being a race at the Ebor meeting last year which he won off a higher mark than he runs off here. Tom Marquand is aboard, which is never a bad thing and the small field means his draw in five ought not to be a problem.

Selection: Equilateral

15:40 - Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Novice Stakes (7f)

This is often a strong novice, an early chance to win a seven-furlong race at a big track without having to compete for black type. As a result, there are some familiar operations represented, including Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte. The first of those could hold sway on the day, as ANNO DOMINI's debut win at Newbury was foretold by the betting and he is bred to keep on improving. Sire New Bay's progeny tend to train on, and his dam hails from a fairly stamina-heavy family.

Selection: Anno Domini

4:15 - Davies Insurance Solutions Gala Stakes (Listed, 1m2f)

Sometimes you just need to keep the faith in a horse that you know will come good. CHECKANDCHALLENGE keeps running over 1m2f, including in this race, when a mile might be his best trip. Even so, there is reason to think he will come out on top. This is a drop in grade from his last run over 1m2f at Sandown and a smaller field could mean a muddling pace. This horse has a serious change of gear and can leave them all standing if it comes down to a sprint finish.

Selection: Checkandchallenge

16:50 - Esher Stakes (Listed, 2m)

This is a race to have a cut at, as Quickthorn has been struggling for form of late and Trueshan may not even line up given his connections' well-known reluctance to run him on quick ground. The selection against them is ROBERTO ESCOBARR, who is one from one at the track (in a higher grade than this) and finished 2023 on a high. He comes here off a break, and having left Mick Appleby, but there is a strong chance he is here for more than just a run out given his success at the track in the past.

Selection: Roberto Escobarr

17:25 - Book Music Nights At Sandown Park Handicap (1m6f)

This is likely to be a good race of its type and in LOVE SAFARI we have an exceptionally bred three-year-old who is set to thrive at the trip. He is by Galileo and his dam was placed in the Ribblesdale and Irish Oaks. He proved well suited to the step up in trip at Doncaster last time and Sandown's uphill finish should suit him even better.

Selection: Love Safari

Sandown Eclipse Day 2

It’s a cracking day of action at Sandown on Saturday with a seven-race card on offer.

The feature event is the Eclipse in which City Of Troy will bid to follow up his impressive Derby success at Epsom last month.

We’ve picked out selections and have analysis for all seven races on the card including a couple of value picks at decent odds.

1.15 Sandown - 7f "Racing-Super-Series" For Free Handicap (Class 3) (3yo 0-90)

It was a very impressive debut from Storm Star at Newcastle in May in a race in which he won going away and he probably did too much too soon at Kempton subsequently. There’s every chance he can resume progress here with the switch to turf likely to suit and David Probert, who is on board for the first time, rides this track well.

Selection: Storm Star

1.50 Sandown - 5f Charge (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+)

The Charge has an open look to it and it’s a race that has been won by the likes of Battaash and Brando down the years. This year’s renewal may go the way of Twilight Calls who loves a strong pace to aim at. That looks guaranteed here with plenty of front runners in the line up and he’s got an ideal draw on the far rail in stall one.

Selection: Twilight Calls

2.25 Sandown - 1m Challenge (Handicap) (Class 2)

It was a huge run from Perotto on his reappearance at Royal Ascot when chasing home two very well handicapped rivals and there’s a solid chance he’ll come on for that run having been in need of previous seasonal reappearances. He won this contest last year, albeit from a lower mark, but he’s still well treated on the pick of his form and provided he doesn’t bounce, he can outrun his odds.

Selection: Perotto

3.00 Sandown - 1m Distaff (Listed Race) (Fillies) (Class 1)

This looks like a good opportunity for Clove Hitch who absolutely bolted up in a novice at Newbury last time and she got the better of a nice prospect in the process. She looks capable of taking this step up in her stride and conditions have come in her favour once again with the ground drying out.

Selection: Clove Hitch

3.35 Sandown - 1m2f Eclipse (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1)

City Of Troy couldn’t have been much more impressive in the Derby last time out, but he’s not much of a price and it’s worth looking into an each-way alternative. The one that appeals most is Ghostwriter who ran a cracker despite everything going wrong in the 2,000 Guineas on his reappearance and he was a bit too keen at Chantilly since. He may be capable of bouncing back.

Selection: Ghostwriter

4.12 Sandown - 1m2f Racing Club Handicap (Class 4)

Blake didn’t seem to handle the track at Epsom last time and he may be worth chancing back at his preferred venue. His sole win came over this course and distance and he was an eyecatcher last time, staying on at the death. If the switch of track does help, there could still be more to come from him this term.

Selection: Blake

4.47 Sandown - 1m2f Shaker Handicap (Class 2)

The finale on the card looks open but there are few reasons to think that Dambuster can go well. He won his maiden at this venue before struggling at Group level second time out, but there was plenty to like about his effort when justifying short odds on his return and he should come on for that run; quicker ground could also see him to even better effect.

Selection: Dambuster