Timeform highlight the ratings banker, a big improver and a flag of interest on Saturday's afternoon meetings.
The ratings banker
Atalis Bay is at least 5 lb clear of his rivals on Timeform ratings and should prove difficult to beat in this weak listed race. Atalis Bay enjoyed a successful juvenile campaign last season, racking up a hat-trick, but his two efforts this term show that he has trained on well. Atalis Bay won over six furlongs as a two-year-old, so it is to his credit that he was quick enough to win a conditions race over five furlongs on fast ground on his reappearance at Nottingham in April, and he ran even better in defeat when chasing home Winter Power at York's Dante meeting.
It's worth focusing on how he pulled five lengths clear of the reminder rather than how he was three lengths behind the winner, who was a class apart and is now bound for the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. That is the best form on offer by some margin and Atalis Bay will prove difficult to beat if in similar form.
The big improver
Khaiz - 16:00 Sandown
Khaiz was too green to do himself justice on debut at Doncaster in March but he could be a different proposition with that outing under his belt - he is certainly bred to do much better. Khaiz is by leading sire Dubawi and out of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Nightime, which means he is a full brother to Ghaiyyath - Timeform's horse of the year in 2020.
Khaiz offered some promise when finishing sixth in a strong maiden on debut, keeping on at the one pace after showing signs of inexperience and coming off the bridle over three furlongs out. He returns to the course with trainer Charlie Appleby in superb form, and his impeccable pedigree suggests there could be a lot more to come. The likes of Candleford and Betty Crean L A have achieved more but Khaiz can improve past them.
The Timeform Flag (Sectional Flag)
Opine - 13:20 Bath
Opine went the wrong way over hurdles for this yard and his first Flat outing for Jonjo O'Neill wasn't especially promising either. However, a lot more encouragement can be taken from his latest effort at Wolverhampton, where he made good headway out wide over a furlong out and did well to get to within half a length of the winner.
Opine clocked a notable closing sectional time on that occasion, making eyecatching headway off just a steady gallop, and that effort identified him as a well-handicapped horse in this sphere. The slight drop in trip is not an obvious move but he could be good enough to overcome that slight disadvantage, particularly with Hollie Doyle, who got such a good tune out of him last time, back in the saddle again.
