ITV Racing Friday Sandown & Perth Preview - 28/04/23

The final day of Perth's festival gets underway on ITV on Friday and in the opening race on the card Letterston Lady for Peter Bowen looks very interesting.

Making her rules debut in April last year when third in a bumper behind the likes of Queens Rock, she then went one better at Haydock in May when second to the progressive Twinjets.

Getting off the mark at Worcester in August, she then backed that up at Newton Abbot in her final bumper run, improving again to score by 11 lengths.

Sent hurdling at Worcester in October she made it a hat-trick of wins taking to the timber really well to score by eight lengths.

However, she was upped in class at Newbury to Listed level and bumped into some very nice mares including Luccia for Nicky Henderson.

Put away since that run until March when returning with a fourth at Market Rasen behind Bonttay who was second that day and has since franked the form.

Letterston Lady now makes her handicap debut in this event, stripping much fitter for that run and off a mark of 110 could have a huge chance.

The first selection from Sandown on Friday on the flat on ITV comes in the Esher Cup Handicap over a mile where only four runners go to post.

We like the look at one of the bigger priced horses in the field called Physique for trainers Paul & Oliver Cole with the three year old only as big as he is for blowing out last time.

Making his debut at Newbury on soft ground over 6 1/2f in October when finishing a neck second, he then went up to 7f just a week later and got off the mark at Newmarket beating the smart Majestic Pride who has since franked the form.

Making his three year old debut at Chelmsford in April when stepping up to a mile he might just needed the run and overall the race turned out to be quite decent.

Now handicapping off a mark of 91, he was bought to be better than that and handling soft conditions he can improve from his debut run.

The final of the two Perth races on the ITV card sees the Highland National Handicap Chase over 3m 6 1/2f and Destiny Is All for the dual Grand National winner Lucinda Russell looks a good each way player.

The nine year old has been a very consistent performer for connections, signing off last term with two wins at Ayr, firstly over 3m3f and 2m 4 1/2f.

Returning this season to kick off with a hat-trick he could only manage second off a mark of 103, but sent to Kelso off the back of that pipe opener and he got back to winning ways in decisive fashion, with the step up to 2m 7 1/2f bringing improvement.

Up to a mark of 110 at Ayr in December when a close third in a Class 2 Handicap over three miles, he was then stepped up un trip to 3m 1/2f at Carlisle and 3m5f at Warwick and finished second on both occasions in handicap company.

Having finished a head second to Tile Tapper at Carlisle, he then went up in trip at Warwick and ran on well behind Volcano.

He should have no problem staying the trip and off a mark of 115, the same as his latest second, he should run another big race.

One of the big events of the afternoon from Sandown on Friday is the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes over 1m2f and Adayar is weighted to get back to winning ways.

A superstar as a three year old when landing the Epsom Derby, Grade One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and he placed fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Having picked up an injury setback last term he was only seem on two occasions, winning a Conditions Stakes at Doncaster in September and then he finished a superb 1/2 length second to Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Having showed versatility at both 1m4f and 1m2f, the latter distance looks to be where he is at the system and with the ground at Sandown playing to his strengths he looks the obvious selection.

Also he receives 5lb from challenger in the market Anmaat who is actually rated 3lb inferior of him.

The feature race on the Sandown card is the Group Two bet365 Mile and at a price Migration for David Menuisier looks a little overpriced.

A horse that absolutely loves heavy ground and although now seven years of age he still seems to be improving when he gets his conditions and he gets that here.

In 2021 he was a winner of two big fielded handicaps at Glorious Goodwood and York's Ebor meeting going up to a mark of 106 for the start of last season.

Second to the smart Modern News on seasonal debut last term in a Class 2 Handicap over a mile, he was then not seen until October and in his comeback run after six months off he finished eighth of 20 in the Balmoral Handicap off 109.

Finishing last season at Newmarket in the Listed James Seymour Stakes he finished fourth in a very good renewal of the race with the likes of Ottoman Fleet, Royal Fleet and Algiers in the event.

This season he made his seasonal return in the Lincoln Handicap and off top weight, getting his ideal heavy ground he went on to fly home up the rail to win comfortably.

This is a huge step up in class but he is a master on heavy ground being unbeaten on those conditions and he could potentially have the fitness edge on some of these having already run this season.

The final event from Sandown on Friday is the Group Three bet365 Classic Trial with again only a small field going to post for a race that is normally very informative later on in the season.

Although there is not many runners they all have live chances especially with most of them handling heavy ground conditions but Arrest for John & Thady Gosden looks the one to beat.

This on debut last year at Sandown over 7f behind the exciting Nostrum, he then stepped up to a mile at Sandown and got off the mark beating Desert Order close home.

Then sent to Ffos Las to have a prep run before heading over to France he confronted soft in the going for the first time and still went on to bolt up, with the second and third since franking the form.

Arrest himself gave that form line a boost when last seen stepping up to 1m2f in France on heavy ground and finishing a head second to Dubai Mile for Charlie Johnston.