Sky Bet Sunday Series tips: Sandown race-by-race guide

Rewind 12 months to this Sky Bet Sunday Series Nursery and a result that would have left a sour taste in the mouth of connections of the Rod Millman-trained Safari Dream, who found himself a nose in front at the line only to be demoted to second in the stewards' room. The yard runs CROOKED CROWN this year and though the speedy filly has a less glamorous profile than that of fellow handicap newcomers Equity Law and Cotai Vision, she has some notable form to her name (ran with credit in the Super Sprint last time) and could be hard to peg back from her low draw. That comment also applies to Indication Spirit, who comes here chasing a four-timer (4lb higher today), while Two Tribes has shown plenty to go to war with and is respected in first-time blinkers.

A strong pace and a return to Sandown could see LIL GUFF quickly back in the winner’s enclosure following a fine runner-up effort at Windsor on Thursday (two of her wins have come on the back of quick turnarounds). Get It bounced back to form last time and looks on a fair enough mark, for all he hasn’t won off this high before, a comment that also applies to Ancient Times. Be Proud’s recent improvement has come under different conditions (soft ground/flat tracks/six furlongs) and a bigger threat may emerge from Royal Parade who won well under today’s jockey at Goodwood in June. If the breaks come at the right time then the hold-up performers Call Me Ginger and - most notably - Dare To Hope, should be involved in the finish.

No form on offer but plenty of interesting pedigrees to catch the eye, most notably Reaching High, though it’s worth noting that none of his siblings were sharp enough to win first time out. Dark Tornado represents a yard in good form, and one which does well with the ones it sends to the course, but preference is for ENDOSSER, a half-brother to six winners across the pond, and whose sales price rose markedly as a two-year-old. Cracker Star’s dam won over six furlongs as a juvenile, and the yard is in form, while market support for Liveandletlive, whose siblings both won over this trip, would look significant. Rascal Recknell, Royal Supremacy and the sole filly in the race, Skellet, appear to be the others to focus on.

Derry Lad bids for a £100,0000 bonus for winning a third Sky Bet Sunday Series race, but he failed to pick up as well as expected after travelling kindly behind Auld Toon Loon at the last Sky Bet Sunday Series meeting and while the better ground here should suit, there is still a distinct lack of real pace forecast. That should see Auld Toon Loon to good effect once more, however there is a chance that recent Kempton winner GRAIGNES could be able to dominate. He seemed to relish the change of tactics last time, rushed up round the outside to lead, and though he has work to do with Junkanoo on their run at Windsor in May, it’s worth noting that was his reappearance. Silver Gunn won well last time but tends to be seen to best effect from a strong gallop, while slow starts have hindered the course winners Trais Fluors and Belhaven of late. The unexposed recent winners Bint Al Daar and Whicombe Rockstar may prove to be bigger dangers.

With his yard (which leads the race for a Sky Bet stable staff bonus) in good form, it’s WHAT’S THE STORY who gets the nod. He’s run very solid races in defeat since winning at Carlisle in May and a return to a stiffer finish should play to his strengths (winner over as far as 10f). Confirmed front-runners Acotango, Austrian Theory and Island Bandit should ensure this is run at a solid pace, which will suit Shimmering Sands, who had to weave his way through when fourth at York last time, and Metal Merchant, who shaped better than the result when fifth at Goodwood earlier this month. Ouzo was a non-runner at that meeting, but a repeat of his second to Perotto over C&D (Indemnify fifth, Orbaan ninth) would see him go close; it’s worth noting that he hasn’t won since October 2020, though.

REACH was keen and got no sort of run at Windsor on Thursday, but with that first outing in two months under her belt and more luck in running granted here, she should prove hard to beat back against her own sex despite dropping in trip. A strong pace appears likely, thanks primarily to Miss Down Under and Mlle Chanel, which should help Aiming High who was keen over further last time, but more obvious dangers lie in the form of recent winners Zarga and Marinara now that they have got their heads in front. Compliant’s all-weather form reads better than her turf efforts, and she may find it hard going against the likes of the wizened 11-time-winner Crystal Casque.

Like Derry Lad earlier on the card, BLOW YOUR HORN bids to make history and he can secure a third Sky Bet Sunday Series win at the chief expense of Crescent Lake and Diamond Bay. Though a beaten favourite in the Northumberland Vase last time, Blow Your Horn was far from disgraced and the prospect of a strong pace and a testing uphill finish should make him much more competitive. Crescent Lake’s form in the south has a solid feel and he lost little in defeat behind a good one at Ascot, while this looks an easier assignment than Diamond Bay faced at Newmarket last month. Apparate, who drops in trip here, makes some appeal at bigger odds, along with a back-to-form Traila and the consistent front-runner Pons Aelius.