Saturday's ITV7 guide ahead of Solario Stakes weekend at Sandown
Dave Smith takes a look at Saturday's ITV7 action and makes Too Darn Hot his banker on the day.
13:50 Sandown - 188Bet Extra Place Races Handicap (Class 3)
Half of the 14 runners in this have won at the track and over this distance. SHAMSON is one of those course and distance winners and comes into this having won at Newmarket last time out to end a one year losing streak. This may well turn into a tactical affair and if so, the horse will need the breaks to follow up off just 4lb higher. Having won off 92 and getting in here off 77 he's very well in on the pick of his best form. Bahamian Sunset beat the selection when they last met on equal terms and that would put him right in the mix too. De Sousa takes the ride and that can only be deemed a good thing. Jashma is another course and distance winner who has age on his side but may be up against it in this company. Haddaf is classy on his day and a return to that form should see him run a big race whilst Pettochside and Rio Ronaldo would need career bests to land this off their current ratings. Hat-trick seeking Rapid Applause has an 8lb rise to contend with and would struggle on his best Irish form but he's had a swift renaissance under the tutelage of Mick Easterby.
14:05 Chester - Foxy Bingo Fur-Ever Friends Handicap (Class 2)
LAKE VOLTA is ideally berthed in stall two and has the perfect rider for this course in Franny Norton, who has a 41% record at the track in the last 10 years for having his horses in the place money. The horse seemed to come back to form last time out at Goodwood when only just edged out of second by a short head to Cape Byron and just over a length to Flaming Spear. The handicapper has had his say with another 1lb rise but he's more than capable of dealing with that and his three year old weight allowance is a huge help. Poet's Society is another Johnston runner who is, remarkably, having his 27th start of the season and ran a cracker the last day under Frankie. He may be inconvenienced by his draw and Norton chooses the selection but he could run well again. Shady McCoy continues to threaten to come back to form without being consistently able to, following one good run with a disappointing one. Daira Prince has had a good break but would need a personal best to win here and unfortunately Baraweez's course and distance success may be tempered with a stall out in the car park.
14:25 Sandown - Best Odds Guaranteed At 188Bet Handicap (Class 2)
A really tricky race to analyse as none of these leap off the page as being well handicapped. Top weight Communique's three-year-old weight allowance should give him some assistance but he's been well held off marks in the 100s the last twice and that puts him at risk from a win perspective. Dubai Horizon has been given a 9lb jump for his latest success and is another one who is vulnerable but in with a chance. Dream Today has the weight allowance but doesn't seem to have the class off a mark of 98 and will probably need to see that mark slip before he becomes more competitive. NOT SO SLEEPY is back at his best trip off 1lb lower than his last success at Epsom and any rain will be very helpful with William Buick a very good booking. History Writer was well held in a lower grade handicap than this last time out and would need a return to form to be in the mix but Red Force One comes here out of the handicap so connections must fancy their chances off a feather weight after three wins from his last three, albeit in slightly easier contests.
14:45 Beverley - William Hill Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes (Listed) (Class 1)
TAKE COVER continues to defy his age with another season of very creditable runs and he's the highest rated in this race by 5lb. David Allen once again takes the ride and ran to his odds of 40/1 in the Nunthorpe after following home sprinting superstar Battaash previously at Goodwood. He loves it here and looks a solid choice to get through to leg five. Paul Midgeley works wonders with his sprinters and he is triple-handed here. His horses more than likely want differing ground with Final Venture preferring some cut in the ground, although he has acted well on good and better ground. Line Of Reason is now eight years old but if he can find his best form he could be a very interesting alternative to the selection at around the 25/1 mark but his form has started to wane. Mr Lupton arrives here having competed in some high-class sprints this season and performing with great credit; amongst them was the defeat of the Nunthorpe victor at York earlier in the year. He makes the most appeal against the selection whilst the unexposed Elnadim Star makes up the shortlist.
15:00 Sandown - 188Bet Casino Atalanta Stakes (Fillies' And Mares' Group 3) (Class 1)
It's likely that VERACIOUS will be a warm order for this and it's not hard to see why. She's a beautifully bred daughter of Frankel by a Pivotal mare and her strong efforts in two Group 1 contests should see her odds-on to take this contest. She beat Winter Lightning on the only the time that horse has appeared in the UK and her runs in Meydan aren't enough of a reason to think she'd reverse the form. Laugh Aloud has run very nicely in two Group 3 contests this season but she'd need to really be improving to beat Sir Michael Stoute's runner. Awesome Tank is highly likeable filly and this would take a serious step up but she's capable of more improvement. Clon Coulis should be held on the pick of the form and New Day Dawn would be a major surprise if she were to get her head in front.
15:15 Chester - Foxy Bingo Fast And Fabulous Chester Stakes (Listed) (Class 1)
Another warm order will take his chance in this Listed contest in the form of DURETTO as he's rated 11lb clear of all his rivals. The draw is somewhat obsolete here as the distance should give all the runners the chance to make a bold enough bid. Andrew Balding has a good record at the course and Duretto should add to that. Here And Now is a very interesting runner and the horse has actually beaten staying superstar Stradivarius at this track last year. He's relatively lightly raced and could be the one to cause the selection the most problems stepping into Listed Company for the first time. Hochfeld was beaten by Here And Now last time out but is a course and distance winner and like Ralph Beckett's horse is stepping into Listed company for the first time. Duretto should be held up to make steady progress and as a former winner of a Listed contest is selected to take this.
15:35 Sandown - 188Bet Solario Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1)
The Solario Stakes pits some very nice two-year-olds up against each other and perhaps the most striking will be TOO DARN HOT, a half-brother to Lah Ti Dar and So Mi Dar, whose sole run to date was extremely impressive. He routed the field over slightly further on his debut and it's clear to see why he's regarded in such high esteem. The form of Arthur Kitt makes the discrepancy between the selection and Tom Dascombe's son of Camelot seem a little bit too great. He ran very nicely to take the Chesham and that's an impressive feat on only his second start. However, he could face a superstar here. Watan was far less green when second in the Acomb and ran a very encouraging race behind Phoenix Of Spain. He should figure in this. Dunkerron might be another slightly underrated in the market and Confiding ran a stormer at Goodwood when drifting like a barge in the betting but running on third behind Dark Vision.
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