Harry Eustace is confident Time For Sandals can make her presence felt on her Irish debut at the Curragh on Sunday in the BAR 1 Betting Flying Five Stakes.
Things have failed to go right so far this season for the daughter of Sands Of Mali, who is seeking a first win since landing last year’s Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
However, after a slightly below-par first half of the campaign, the four-year-old filly has shown in her last two starts that she is working her way back into form.
After filling third in the Group Two Qatar King George Stakes at Goodwood, she looked an unlucky loser last time out when meeting trouble in running before finishing fourth on her Group One return in the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes at York. And on the back of her latest display the Newmarket handler believes his Group One scorer can give her rivals plenty to think about in the €400,000 contest.
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Eustace said: “We are looking forward to going to have a crack at the Flying Five with her. There was always a suspicion that she might get quicker with another year on her back.
“Her first couple of runs were fine with not much to write home about, but I’m not sure she had much luck with draws and how the races set up. We hoped that things would change and she has since run great races at Goodwood and York.
"As long as she stays in that sort of form she should run her race. She ran a great race at York last time and showed that she is still very much up to this level.”
While Time For Sandals is likely to take on a number of familiar faces, Eustace believes that this year’s Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup winner Comanche Brave appears the one to beat.
Eustace said: “The main one she hasn’t run against is Comanche Brave. It is interesting seeing him drop back to five furlongs, but the stiff five should suit him well. He has been impressive in a couple of starts this year, including in the July Cup.
“One thing we know from the York run though is it showed Time For Sandals handled that slower ground, which makes her a bit more versatile than some."
And while Eustace is focused on events at the Curragh at the weekend he admits that this season might not be the last we see of Time For Sandals.
He added: “All being well she will probably head for the Abbaye after this and the plan, at this stage, is for her race on next year. I suppose as a Group One winning filly that can all change, but at the moment that is the current thinking.”
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