Something for the weekend: Horses to follow at Sandown, Haydock, Beverley and Carlisle

By Matt Brocklebank

16:42 · MON July 01, 2024

Our Value Bet expert returns with a look ahead to the weekend and a few horses he has on his radar at the start of Coral-Eclipse week.

A world of Pur imagination

Some cracking support acts away from the Coral-Eclipse headliner across the two days at Sandown this weekend and the return of Cicero’s Gift immediately catches the eye in Saturday’s Coral Challenge.

Denied a clear run but ultimately a bit short on experience and/or class when seventh to Paddington in last season’s St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, he’s not been sighted in public since which clearly sets a few alarm bells rings but trainer Charlie Hills must be confident he still has something to worth with, and the manner of his Conditions Stakes win at Goodwood last May was really striking.

The fact he’s returning in a handicap - with an official mark of 109 - does suggest he could be caught between a rock and a hard place, though, and the son of Muhaarar can only be watched for the time being.

Earlier on, I’m hoping Andrew Balding’s three-year-old Purosangue might go a little under the radar taking on older horses again in the Coral Charge, a race won by the younger generation five times in the past 10 years.

It has been high on Live In The Dream’s 2024 plan since the start of the year by all accounts, with Adam West training just along the road, but he has to bounce back from a pretty shocking effort in Listed company at Haydock and looks a highly-rated market leader I’ll be keen to oppose.

Purosangue has yet to really come alive this term but he was a good, consistent two-year-old and left the impression he’d be better off back over the minimum trip when a keen-going third to Jasour at Ascot and again when fifth to Inisherin in the Sandy Lane.

The King Charles III Stakes was a case of biting off more than he could chew but he hardly got a smooth trip and it’s an effort I can happily strike a line through. This looks more his level and the bare form figures almost dictate him being over-priced.

Fun is only just getting starter

Realistically, there's a small chance that Haydock’s Never Ordinary At bet365 Handicap isn’t much more than a pit-stop before a return to York, where he seems particularly effective, but it also seems sensible to try and strike while the iron is hot(-ish) with Quest For Fun.

The six-year-old may have been denied by Tolstoy at his favourite haunt in the middle of last month but he came from a near-impossible position to be beaten half a length and it was a clear sign he was right back to himself after a quiet start to the campaign.

Crucially, a paltry 1lb rise for that excellent effort leaves Tim Easterby’s horse still looking reasonably well handicapped. He was a five-length winner off just a 2lb lower mark at Catterick last October, adding to his victory on the Knavesmire in the summer months, and given his connections, it can be taken as read that the riches of the Ebor meeting will be high on the agenda this time around.

This race is not on the ITV Saturday schedule, but he’s very much on the radar.

Trainer Tim Easterby

Out on Elim at Beverley

She may have let down a few shrewd punters when finishing just out of the places at Royal Ascot, but Kensington Palace gamble Elim was far from disgraced in being beaten six lengths by Doha a couple of weeks ago.

Ed Bethell’s filly had previously caught the eye when sent off favourite for a mile handicap at Redcar, form that was subsequently boosted by the winner and the runner-up. Her mark of 83 remains unchanged for the last two efforts and, having won on good to soft ground on turf debut at Musselburgh last spring, perhaps the unsettled forecast can be considered a positive for her connections.

The other one to note in the same fillies’ handicap at Beverley on Saturday is Secret World, who looks a Charlie Johnston Goodwood project through-and-through.

Her form with Jeanne D’Arc from last autumn reads really well and she made a decent start to this year too before the wheels seemed to fall off at Haydock. Her Chester effort on bad ground was also largely forgettable but there were signs of a revival back on a sound surface at Newmarket last week and her reduced mark (76) is looking very tempting at the moment.

Heavier showers would evidently be a negative for her, though she’s certainly bred to handle some cut.

Sir Michael Stoute

Everywhere we go…

Sticking with the north of England, Carlisle’s Lake District Calvert Trust Maiden Fillies’ Stakes should be worth tuning in for on Saturday evening (7.20).

Sir Michael Stoute has sent four horses to the Cumbria venue over the past five seasons and he’s had three winners and a second, so Galileo filly Everywhere has to be of interest if taking up this option following an improved effort at Lingfield last month.

One who may offer a spot more value in the same race is Shadwell filly Al Haal, fifth on debut at Kempton and, with no other weekend entries at the time of writing, looks set to be Owen Burrows’ first ever Carlisle runner.

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.

Like what you've read?