Top tipster and commentator Simon Holt provides his Sunday selections exclusively on Sporting Life Plus.
Racing betting tips: Sunday August 20
1pt win Cotai Vision in 3.45 Sandown
1pt win Derry Lad in 5.15 Sandown
1pt win Rhythmic Intent in 6.45 Sandown
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
ITV4 selections: COTAI VISION 3.45 Sandown, Arecibo 4.15 Sandown, Royal Supremacy 4.45 Sandown, DERRY LAD 5.15 Sandown, Ouzo 5.45 Sandown, Compliant 6.15 Sandown, RHYTHMIC INTENT 6.45 Sandown
THE final meeting of this year's Sky Bet Sunday Series at Sandown looks as competitive as the others, but COTAI VISION should have strong claims in the opening Sky Bet Sunday Series Nursery Handicap.
Ed Walker's filly showed promise when a staying on fourth at Lingfield on her debut off the back of which, rather ambitiously, she was thrown into the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.
At 80-1, it was hardly surprising that she finished well beaten in what was an exceptionally hot contest but maybe the experience did her some good as, dropped heavily in class next time, she bolted up at Bath under Tom Marquand.
Well clear from a furlong out over that five-and-a-half furlong trip, Cotai Vision had three lengths to spare over Adaay In Devon (who was conceding 2lb) at the line, and the latter's subsequent decisive victory at Windsor gives the form a decent look.
Adaay In Devon is now rated 76 suggesting that the selection (7lb superior at Bath) may have a few pounds in hand here off a mark of 78.
Later on, series regular DERRY LAD can continue his progress this season in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Middle Distance Apprentice Handicap.
This sizable five-year-old has run up a sequence of good efforts for Irish trainer Kevin Coleman in the last four months, winning at Hamilton's Sunday Series meeting in May and then making it a double at the Pontefract Sky Bet meeting the following month.
The latter effort over a mile-and-a-half was, in hindsight, an excellent performance as the half-length runner-up Wootton'Sun (now rated 12lb higher) has since won the Old Newton Cup at Haydock and was beaten only a short head by Scampi at the Shergar Cup meeting last Saturday.
In a bid for a Sunday Series hat-trick at Haydock earlier in the month, Derry Lad travelled like the best horse in the race but, even though seemingly ground versatile, he emptied inside the final furlong on the heavy going behind In The Breeze and the re-opposing Auld Town Loon (now 3lb worse off).
The impression was that, after a six weeks break, he might just have needed the run in the conditions and, with connections snapping up the services of Benoit De La Sayette here, he is fancied to bounce back off just a 6lb higher mark than Pontefract.
In the concluding Sky Bet Sunday Series Stayers' Handicap, RHYTHMIC INTENT appears ready to strike after a much improved effort this season over this trip at Yarmouth last month when the seven-year-old battled on gamely, having been on the pace all the way, to take third behind the improving Alnilam who had scored previously at Sandown.
Alnilam couldn't follow up at Nottingham over a longer distance next time, but there was much to like about the selection's effort and, in the past, signs of a return to form have on two occasions preceded a victory.
Rhythmic Intent was restricted to just two runs last year, and it could be that it has taken a few runs to get the now seven-year-old back to full fitness.
David Simcock's charge certainly boasts plenty of useful back-form including a win off 95 at Doncaster's St Leger meeting in 2021 and two good seconds from two previous visits to Sandown.
Now rated just 89, the booking of Oisin Murphy is significant.
Published at 1445 BST on 19/08/23
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org
