The opening flat meeting of the season at Sandown takes place on Friday, featuring Group race action and Classic clues. GG tipster Joe Napier has perused the cards and come up with his best bets on the day.
1.50 Sandown – bet365 Esher Cup Handicap
Early markets suggest Thunder Wonder and Dividend are the two to beat here, but the former’s win from Musselburgh from the front may well have owed to that track’s pace bias, and he is no guarantee to follow up here on previous form under a 6lb penalty. Dividend, meanwhile, has secured a hat-trick on the all-weather, but his turf form is decidedly patchy, arguably having only run a good race on one out of his four starts on grass.
Other recent all-weather runners do not convince, which narrows it down to the seasonal debutants in SERAPH GABRIEL and The Lost King. Preference is for the former for Ralph Beckett, who was fourth on debut at Newbury in a strong novice race before getting off the mark at Lingfield (on turf).
Those in behind are now rated 74, 83, 86 and 79, and he only narrowly failed to defy a penalty next time out at Redcar. He looks a likely improver on breeding, with the 1m trip another thing to recommend him on.
2.25 Sandown – bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (Group 3)
The only course and distance winner in the field, there were plenty of Derby shouts for ARABIAN CROWN when he landed the Classic Trial this time a year ago. Injury ruled him out of the rest of the campaign, but he had won four in a row up to that Classic Trial success.
Although that form did not really work out throughout 2024, he still won very authoritatively. 309 days off probably showed when returning at Meydan in March, but he ran on well enough to be fourth of seven and should strip fitter for the outing.
William Buick is on Ancient Wisdom here, but Ryan Moore is called up for this son of Dubawi. That is a serious reserve jockey booking which suggests there may not be much between the Godolphin pair, and Arabian Crown may be the better horse at this kind of distance.
3.00 Sandown – bet365 Mile (Group 2)
This is wide open. Dancing Gemini is following the Charyn route to this race, having easily won the Doncaster Mile, but unlike that subsequent Group 1 winner, there are question marks about him maintaining his form throughout the season. He is worth taking on.
Preference instead is for HAATEM, a busy juvenile who belied expectations to be an even better three-year-old last term. Twice he won at Group 3 level, claiming the Craven on return at Newmarket in decisive fashion before also landing the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot under a 3lb penalty.
In between, he was placed in both the 2000 Guineas and the Irish equivalent, in which he went down by just a neck to stablemate Rosallion. That is top class form and he is perfectly capable of going well fresh.
3.35 Sandown – bet365 Classic Trial (Group 3)
Although any of Damysus, I Am I Said or Sir Dinadan could improve to this level, the proven Group race form of Swagman and WINDLORD is preferred. There is not much between that pair, but Aidan O’Brien’s poor record in this sways the favour to the selection.
Andrew Balding, by comparison, has won three of the last nine renewals of this contest. His first two runs came at this venue when fourth and second in maiden and novice events over 7f, but when he did get off the mark at York, he was only a 1¼ lengths from then following up at Group 2 level when sent over to the Curragh next time out.
He is bred to be useful, being by Dubawi and with plenty of relatives within a superb family on the dam’s side. That pedigree should also help him see out the extra distance of 1m2f he faces for the first time here.