3 minute read
Sandown Park stages the Brigadier Gerard fixture on Thursday evening. With three black-type races, it is the most prestigious annual evening meeting in the UK.
The feature contest is the Group 3 Racehorse Lotto Brigadier Gerard Stakes (7:42) over 1m 2f. Sir Michael Stoute is the trainer with most victories in the race including Notnowcato (2006), Workforce (2011), Carlton House (2012), Autocratic (2017), Poet's Word (2018), Regal Reality (2019) and last year's winner Bay Bridge.
The returning Desert Crown will be bidding to boost Stoute's record and the four-year-old looks the star of the show coming into this unbeaten. He scored three times last year including an impressive display in the Group 1 Epsom Derby almost twelve months ago. If he has retained his ability after an injury, he looks a class above his rivals.
Even so, it looks like a fascinating line-up with Hukum also returning from eleven months off after landing the Group 1 Coronation Cup by four lengths. Cash ran well in the Listed company at Ascot earlier this month where the form has worked out well and the grey has shown ability at this venue previously when second in last year's course and distance Classic Trial. Solid Stone is a stablemate to the favourite and Ryan Moore rides.
Claymore is not dismissed after success in the Royal Ascot Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes last year. Chichester is an outsider but produced a good effort on All-Weather Championships Finals day at Newcastle last month.
The Group 3 Racehorse Lotto Henry II Stakes (7.12) is an intriguing contest over two miles. Frankie Dettori's mount Enemy was only fifth in this Group 3 last year but has been posting some smart efforts since including a 1m4f Meydan (UAE) handicap success in January and a good second in the G3 Red Sea Cup turf handicap at Riyadh. Nate The Great finished a solid second in this race last year and holds plenty of good form over this trip. Roberto Escobarr showed plenty of ability over a similar marathon journey in March at Wolverhampton AW when a close third in a competitive Class 2 conditions race. Sleeping Lion and the French-trained Princess Anne make up the field.
The Sandown sprint course is used once on Thursday night for the Listed Racehorse Lotto National Stakes over 5f and looks to provide plenty of Royal Ascot juvenile clues. On Point made a winning debut at Newmarket at the start of this month when landing a three-runner 5f maiden and the son of Blue Point is open to plenty of progress for leading connections. Dapper Valley also won a Newbury maiden on debut and he has a good draw which can prove crucial on this unique 5f course. Elite Status is a son of Havana Grey who caught the eye at Doncaster recording a three-length debut triumph over this journey. Fellow debut scorer Blue Storm won a novice event at Newmarket where the form has worked out strongly and is another interesting contender in an open renewal of the National Stakes.
The other three races on the card are competitive handicaps. The opener over 1m2f (6:12) includes last year's winning trainer and jockey combination Gary and Ryan Moore, who are represented again with the in-form Silastar bidding to follow up a Leicester success. The final race on the night features Greek Order, who remains a promising three-year-old having placed on all three starts so far.
RAS Selections
R1 – 8-5-6-2
R2 – 7-2-3-1
R3 - 1-2-3-4
R4 – 4-5-3-1
R5 – 7-4-6-5
R6 – 4-3-10-2
