The best bets from our Timeform team ahead of Saturday's action from Sandown and Wolverhampton.
UNKNOWN ENTITY - 13.50 Sandown (Simon Baker)
Unknown Entity is one of just a handful of maidens in the EBF Final, but he's shaped really well on both his starts for Dan Skelton, including when edged out by one that's won again since at Wincanton last time. He'll be well suited by this step back up in trip and there's a strong feeling his trainer - who has few peers when it comes to specific targets - has had this race in mind all winter.
SUPERPOSITION - 14.42 Wolverhampton (David Johnson)
Superposition has a very solid record on the all-weather and is fancied to get back on the up with his reappearance under his belt. He was second favourite for quite a valuable handicap at Lingfield last week and though he ran well to be fourth, he wasn’t seen to best effect, drawn in stall 10 and getting little cover out wide. His draw looks much more favourable today, comments that don’t apply to quite a few of the market principals.
LUNE BRILLIANTE - 15.00 Sandown (Dan Barber)
Better was expected from Lune Brilliante in the Listed Henrietta Knight bumper won by Ti’mamzel at Huntingdon but some terrible luck in running denied her the chance to live up to the distinct promise she’d shown when cutting through the field to beat more experienced rivals at Carlisle first time out, looking a very bright prospect. The headstrong Burds of A Feather already looks to have only one way of going and that will suit the patiently-ridden Lune Brilliante down to the ground.
PRINCE OF INDIA - 15.15 Wolverhampton (Rory King)
Prince Of India hadn’t yet made his debut by the time the other 4-y-o in the Lady Wulfruna, Cool Hoof Luke, was winning a very strong edition of the Gimcrack in August 2024, but a 3-y-o season of relentless progress strongly suggests he’s a legitimate rival to that horse. A lot of that progress came in well-run races over 6f, but he’d previously won twice and finished a narrow second in three starts last year over 7f, and the return to this trip could see him improve further yet given the way he shaped when upped to this level at York in September, while the gears he showed in running away with a deep 3-y-o handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting suggest he’ll be able to cope with a race that, on paper, lacks pace. What’s more, the Botti yard looks to be hitting form and the way Gaeli was primed for a handicap at Southwell earlier in the week on his stable debut back from a break augurs well for Prince Of India being ready to do himself full justice first time back.
MR HOPE STREET - 16.10 Sandown (Kieran Clark)
The graduation event taken by subsequent King George winner The Jukebox Man at Haydock on Betfair Chase day has proved strong form with the runner-up Iroko having also scored again since and Mr Hope Street can frank that race even further. A never-nearer third under a considerate ride on that occasion, it's a surprise that he was raised just 3lb in the weights and he should take all the beating back in a handicap with the run of the race bound to suit his patient style.
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