The Wine Tipster: “The yard are starting to fire after a quiet spell”

A competitive and intriguing card at Sandown, with the Solario Stakes Group 3 certainly featuring some smart juveniles in a race which has been won in recent times by the likes of Kingman and Masar. Elsewhere, Military Order Unibet 4/7 on returns to action in the Chester Stakes over a trip of one mile six furlongs, on his first start since finishing last in the Epsom Derby, having beaten Waipiro in the Lingfield Derby Trial, who then won well at Royal Ascot. Military Order was my main fancy for the Epsom Derby, yet he didn’t handle the track and it will be very disappointing if he doesn’t win at Chester comfortably.

Enjoy whether at a racecourse or watching #athome on ITV Racing.

Cheers!

The Wine Tipster.

1.50 Sandown – Handicap (7f) Lyndon B often needs a few runs to put him right, and his last two efforts at Newmarket, including finishing unplaced behind Final Watch (reopposes) in July and Newbury have signified a horse slowly returning to form. It is interesting to note that Lyndon B scored his first victory of the season on his fifth start in 2022 and fourth appearance in 2021, whilst the handicapper has been slow to drop him in 2023 but he is now on something more workable on historical evidence. Lyndon B is 2-7 at Sandown and has a couple of other solid efforts at the course, so has no issues with track, trip or ground, and should go well here with a strong pace assured. Unibet 13/2 each way

2.25 Sandown – Atalanta Stakes (Group 3) Potapova won this in outstanding style last year for Sir Michael Stoute when coming from the back of the field to win going away. She looks primed for a repeat after a couple of respectable efforts in arguably tougher company this year, doing best of those held up off the pace in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. There should be a strong pace on here with both Mysterious Love and Roman Mist in attendance, which is what Popapova needs as a hold-up performer, and the yard are starting to fire after a quiet spell. Unibet 6/1

2.40 Beverley – Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes Listed Race (5f) Apollo One (nap) drops back to the minimum trip for only the second time in his career, having finished seventh last year on his previous try at Chester. However, Apollo One’s form figures since that run are 3213222, which includes being runner-up in the Wokingham on his penultimate start ahead of being marked in my Unibet blog for the Stewards’ Cup, when he ran another blinder right at the head of the pace on his latest appearance. Apollo One could really benefit from this stiff five furlongs, copes with all types of going and this totally genuine individual would be a very popular and deserving winner of the Beverley Bullet. Unibet 3/1

3.00 Sandown – Handicap (1m 2f) Dual Identity has run a lot better than his form figures suggest, when second home of the low numbers in the Royal Hunt Cup at 40/1 and never he got in the Goodwood mile at Goodwood at 50/1, but stayed on late for a midfield finish. His form figures over this course and distance read 512 and he was given far too much to do when runner-up in this race last year. Dual Identity will appreciate the step back up in trip from a mile and he is starting to look very well handicapped now. Unibet 5/1

Andaleep ran unusually very poorly at Ascot on his last start on Shergar Cup Day and you can put a line through that as this consistent type is much better than that. This seven-year-old has run at Sandown on ten occasions, winning four times and finishing placed on three of his other starts. Earlier in the season he won at York over half a furlong longer and around one mile two furlongs looks very much his distance for this ground versatile type, who has strong each way claims. Unibet 14/1 each way

3.38 Sandown – Solario Stakes Group 3 (7f) Mortlake after a disappointing debut at Salisbury was very impressive at Leicester for the inform Ralph Beckett team, considering he was given no peace on the front end, and the pace was a solid one, so the effort can be marked up even further. This really imposing Churchill colt looked a proper stayer that day and never stronger than at the finish and Leicester is a stiff track so Sandown ought to suit. Mortlake may well get his own way up front again and for all there’s improvement to come from Starlore and Aablan, Mortlake looked the most impressive visually and he can win again. Unibet 2/1