ITV Racing Tips for Haydock and Sandown on Coral Eclipse Day

1:50 Sandown

We start with the speedy Group 3 Coral Charge over the 5f trip.

I’m happy to chance EQUALITY (10/1) NB at the prices here. He is a win only proposition because he’s very in and out but on a going day, he’s a quality operator. He shown us just that in that race last year when bolting up in decisive style. Therefore,  this course and distance obviously suits him well. He’s managed to get his head in front again this season when defying top weight in a competitive Musselburgh handicap. He’s had two poor runs since but that’s just him and he will bounce back to form at some point. Returning to this track on the quick ground he enjoys gives optimism for today being that day. He’s overpriced in my opinion.

 

2:05 Haydock

The first race from Haydock is the 2:05. It is a 1m6f handicap.

It’s FOUROHONEFEVER (7/1) EW I like in this. After racking up a hat-trick earlier this season where he was always tending to just do enough, he was pitched into a competitive renewal of the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot . He ran a blinder there finishing a good 4th despite taken a good grip early on. He was not beaten far at all there staying on to go down by just over 2 lengths come the line. This extra two furlongs should be no problem if he settles as normal and off only 2lb higher than last time, I’m expecting a bold bid.

 

2:25 Sandown

The 2:25 is the Coral Challenge, a handicap over the mile. 

I like CLASSIC (6/1) in this for the Richard Hannon stable. He comes from off the pace to go down a short head here at Sandown last time out behind the improving Two Tempting. He was very unlucky there as he had to wait for a gap to make his run and he just got going a stride too late. He’s a horse with lots of ability and only up a 1lb for that performance last time out, I think he’ll go close in a similar type of handicap here.

 

2:40 Haydock

It’s back to Haydock for the 2:40 which is the Lancashire Oaks. A Group 2 for the fillies and mares over 1m4f.

I’ve landed on SEA THEME (7/1) here for the Tom Marquand and William Haggas combination. She’s only had the one run this season and it was here at Haydock in a Group 3 last month. She ran well finishing a never nearer 4th. The re-opposing Queen Of The Pride won that contest with Sea Theme just over 2 lengths behind at the finish. The winner that day had race fitness on her side and with Sea Theme having that run under her belt now, I’d expect them to finish closer together today at the very least. The Haggas yard are in much better form now too and Sea Theme is a horse he thinks a lot of. I think Sea Theme will continue to progress and she’ll do for me here.

 

3:00 Sandown

The 3:00 from Sandown is the Coral Distaff, a listed contest for the 3 year-old fillies over the mile.

It’s SOPRANO (11/4) NAP for me here. She looked every inch like a Group horse in a handicap when showing a potent turn of foot to land the Sandringham at the Royal Meeting. That is a race that often works out strongly and I’d expect no different this year. Soprano appeared to relish the step up to a mile and shown significant improvement. Connections are sticking with the mile route and I think this classy filly can follow up at listed level here. 

 

3.15 Haydock

The 3:15 is the Old Newton Cup, a trappy handicap over 1m4f with 17 runners set to go to post.

I like EPIC POET (6/1) EW in this. He joined the David O’Meara stable in May of this year and in typical O’Meara fashion, he’s got plenty of improvement out of him already. He made his debut for the yard in May at York and ran very respectable finishing 6th in a decent handicap just tiring late on. He then went to Ascot last month and arguably should have won the Duke Of Edinburgh handicap. He flew home for second despite having a troubled passage. He’s up 3lb but that seems fair and O’Meara is still learning with this horse so he could arguably improve again here. However, even a repeat of that last time out effort at the Royal Meeting would have to see him going close off a mark of 100. 

 

3:35 Sandown

The feature ends proceedings on ITV, the Group 1 Coral Eclipse over the 1m2f trip.

City Of Troy should prove too good here but I fancy GHOSTWRITER (BETTING WITHOUT FAV) 5/2 to be the one to chase him home. He was a decent 2 year-old last season and his two runs this year at 3 have shown us he has progressed nicely and is open to further improvement especially over this trip. He finished 4th in the 2000 Guineas on seasonal return doing all his best way late on which was a very pleasing effort. As a result, he was stepped up in trip for the French Derby last time out and again he finished a good 4th. Things didn’t quite go to plan there and I don’t think the heavy ground was his cup of tea. This 1m2f trip back on a quicker surface looks ideal. The Clive Cox team are in a hot spell at present too which is encouraging. I expect Ghostwriter to run a big one here.

 

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