THURSDAY night’s Brigadier Gerard card might lack a genuine showstopper, but there are some talents worth keeping an eye on.
Hawaiian looks a potential Royal Ascot juvenile for Richard Hannon and will be hard to beat in the National Stakes (6.37pm), but at his likely short odds, he’s not a bet for me.
Trueshan is the star name in the Henry II Stakes (7.07pm), and while I’m most drawn to David Menuisier’s Caius Chorister as a stayer to follow this season, I don’t think this is a betting race.
In the Brigadier Gerard (7.37pm) itself, Royal Rhyme, last seen only five-and-a-quarter lengths behind King Of Steel in the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot, will likely be odds-on but feels like a favourite I want to take on.
Isle Of Jura’s good form from the winter makes him interesting, but that was all on very quick ground over in Bahrain, which he’s unlikely to get here.
CERTAIN LAD, therefore, appeals most as the betting proposition and hopefully will be the one to come home in front.
He won well at Doncaster and York late last season, when twice carrying big weights to success in those handicaps and looks to still be improving.
His reappearance behind Hamish at York was a cracking effort, when patiently ridden to get the mile-and-a-half trip that day, and he should be more positively ridden dropping back to 10 furlongs here.
Trainer Jack Channon and jockey George Bass are yet to have a winner between them at Sandown, but don’t let that deter you, as those stats are from a small pool of runners and rides respectively.
At around 9/2, their charge rates as a bet back over this mile-and-a-quarter trip, a distance he has won at twice on his last two attempts.
POINTERS THURSDAY
Certain Lad 7.37pm Sandown