Sandown Thursday Preview - 26/05/22

The horse to kick us off at Sandown on Thursday is the Andrew Balding trained Eikonix who looks to have a big chance over 1m2f in the Class 5 Handicap.

Top weighted in this event off a mark of 76 the four year old broke his maiden tag at the second time of asking over 8.5f at Wolves last term but then struggles on his final start at Doncaster on soft ground on handicap debut.

Sent to Lingfield for his first race this term he was a good third behind The Whipmaster who he takes on again in this race and meets the favourite on better terms.

Player if improving.

The first big race of the evening at Sandown on Thursday is the Listed National Stakes over 5f and the Irish raider Crispy Cat gets out verdict.

Crispy Cat looks one of the more likelier winners of this event off the back his two runs to date starting his career off at Cork and making a good impression when getting off the mark.

Looking to make it 2/2 he went to the Curragh over 5f and was narrowly denied by a short head by Blackbeard, with the Aidan O'Brien trained horse since franking the form in Group Three company.

Big player if improving once more.

Another nice event at the Esher track is the Group Three Henry II Stakes over two miles and the Hughie Morrison trained Quickthorn can have his day in the sun.

The five year old heads into the event with a similar form line to Enemy, with very little splitting the pair last time and any rain falling at the Esher track would be a huge help to him.

A Royal Ascot winner over 1m4f on heavy ground last year, he started to make a name for himself, then finishing a good second in the Ebor Handicap York, but rounding off the season with two poor efforts in better company.

Back this term and looking to make the step up in trip to these sorts of races, he made a fair debut when three lengths behind Trueshan at Nottingham in a Listed event over 1m6f.

Up to two miles last time out he was a narrow second in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot behind Princess Zoe, beating Enemy by a neck.

Should go well.

The feature event of the afternoon is the Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes over 1m2f and we are taking a chance on the Sir Michael Stoute trained Bay Bridge, with the handler winning this event 10 times.

The four year old is one of the most exciting horses in the field showing big ability on both his starts as a juvenile, finishing third at Yarmouth on soft ground over 7f on debut.

He then went Kempton in November and finished another good fourth behind the smart Rebel's Romance for Charlie Appleby, who has since landed a Group Two in Meydan.

Back for last season he stepped up in trip on seasonal debut at Newcastle over 1m2f and got off the mark for his career in fine style landing a Novice Stakes by five lengths, beating some smart horses.

Making his handicap debut next time out he was an emphatic winner again off a mark of 90 in the London Gold Cup at Newbury.

Having picked up a slight setback he made his first appearance since May 2021 in October and up 15lb to a mark of 105 he still went on to win well.

Last seen at Newmarket at the back end of last term he stepped up to Listed company and managed to make it four wins on the bounce when seeing off the talented Majestic Dawn.

Big player if still improving.

The penultimate event of the evening is the Class 3 Whitsun Handicap over a mile and at a nice price Fox Champion for Ralph Beckett could go close.

A frustrating to horse to back over the years but today he has plenty of positives that could see him get back to winning ways.

Having his first run of the season off a mark of 92 which sees him at his lowest mark since the start of his career.

Last season one of his best runs came over the mile having been tried over 7f for the majority of the term and it saw him finish a good fourth of 18 behind three smart types in a competitive Handicap at York.

Returning to that trip should see him at his best and also dropping from Class 2 into this Class 3 event, he should find things much easier.

The final event of the afternoon is the Class 4 Handicap over a mile and we are taking on the favourite with Two Tempting for the inform Jonathan Portman yard.

The three year old son of New Bay has been seen five times to date making his debut in January when needing the run a Wolves, but then dropped back to a mile at Kempton and placed on two occasions behind smart horses in Noble Order and Kingmax.

Sent for his handicap debut on the turf he was a fair fourth at Windsor and then last time out, down 1lb for his handicap debut he went on to win a nice Apprentice Handicap by a nose, from a well backed horse in second.

Player off the same mark with the yard currently running at a 31% strike rate for the last two weeks.