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The first flush of betting is through for the Sandy Lane Stakes and it could be a cracker.
Most of the names you could reasonably hope to see are in the melting pot for now and it’s a who’s who of Commonwealth Cup contenders which ensures a potential major restructure of the book for the Royal Ascot Group 1 contest in June.
The opening book is as follows with William Hill:-
Invincible Army 7/2
James Garfield 7/2
Sands Of Mali 7/2
Heartache 9/2
Unfortunately 7/1
Barraquero 8/1
Different League 12/1
Emblazoned 16/1
Worship 16/1
Nebo 20/1
Actress 33/1I think a few of these have fans on the forum and there is sure to be keen interest.
Sands Of Mali is probably the one who never got much love despite his good Gimcrack win last season but I see bookies are taking him seriously after his Prix Sigy comeback win, where the runner up went on to win next time.
There are Guineas runners dropping back in trip and horses trying to regain the winning thread but at first glance my Commonwealth Cup pick Heartache looks a decent price at 9/2 for a stable with good sprinting talent to use as reference. She was fast last year and looked potentially more than a speedy juvenile.
Interesting to hear where other members feel this trial will wind up going home to?
Thanks
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Cracking race.
At those odds at first glance i would be on heartache and unfortunately.I will hold on and see how the market develops though.
Heartache- better at 5f, no prep
Barraquero – needs cut and form has taken too many knocks, no prep
Unfortunately – again formline with different league looks suspect and ill be weary until proven. No prep
Sands of mali- a bit in and out, thought he needed cut, but won well on good beating invincible army, will it be a going day? he should be thereabouts.
Invincible army- liked his prep, solid form last year, was soundly beaten by sands of mali last season though and that would concern me.
James garfield Have long said on here im a huge fan of the horse and ive always thought 6 was his trip, mile stretched him and he barely got home over 7, hey gaman done the formline no negatives at the weekend, hes the likely winner for me, thought he ran a good race in the guineas considering it was the wrong distance. Havent taken the 7/2 yet, but i probably will back him if i know hes coming for certain
Cant see anything without a prep winning this, the front 3 should have it between them and the outsiders dont look strong enough to pose a threat.
Hadn’t realised this race was on Saturday Steve. Cheers for posting.
It’s a race I won’t be playing antepost but if they turn up, it’s out of Invincible Army and Heartache for me.
I couldn’t have Sands of Mali for this at all personally. I simply don’t rate him as a top class horse. I expect both of the two mentioned above to prove superior to him this season.
My biggest worry with Heartache is that the Flying Childers form is minging. Havana Grey was the latest to let the form down. Her earlier form looks stronger, with 12 horses from the Queen Mary going on to win since.
More betting is in and Heartache is 6/1 with Paddy Power. Invincible Army looks skinny as 9/4 Fav with Paddy Power, as SkyBet go 4/1 about him.
I’d be worried that Different League is bigger for this race than she generally is for the Commonwealth Cup itself, at 16/1.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Think that reason on DL is also got entry for Temple as well and not sure if AOB got any horses for temple might be because of that.
I’m another James Garfield fan
he was never going to get the mile especially in such a race of Guineas proportions
I think he is fine over 7f but a strong paced 6f should be ideal for him.
Looks like SDS is booked up to ride, do we think his style of jockeyship will suit the horse.? I’m not so sure although it’s hard to knock his formGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Heartache and James Garfield are definitely of interest in this, but without there
being a standout candidate, I’m taking a chance that Emblazoned could be
better than his form might suggest. He is the only one in this that didn’t run as a 2yr
old, and his races to date are not much more than egg and spoon races. He needed races to
get to know what it was all about, and although his last run was in a class 5 Novice Stakes
at Yarmouth you couldn’t help but be very impressed with the way he went about it. It was
obvious from a long way out that he had the race in the palm of his hand, and when he was
eventually asked to go about his business he quickened impressively without Robert Havlin
ever having to even think about using his whip. On basic form he shouldn’t be held up against
horses that have run in the 200 Guineas and other decent Group races, but without having run
last year he was never going to be able to compete at that level until he had a bit of
experience under his belt. I took him yesterday at 20/1 with Paddy Power
(put up at that price e/w in the ante post competition thread). Not one to go mad about, but
at that price, or even the 16/1 that’s still on offer, he’s worth considering I think.Backed Heartache in the end.
He’s one of those horses that I just really really like.
Me and Steve are on for the Commonwealth Cup at 16s so if he doesn’t win today, I’m hopeful of him running well as his prep for Ascot.
I think Barraquero might be just about worth a little tickle at 9/1 after being wonderfully impressive as a two year old. I’d have Invincible Army as a tad shorter than 7/2 though and so that looks worth while as well after his Ascot performance.
Barraquero 9/1
Invincible Army 7/2Have just seen the photo finish print on ITV, am I alone in thinking that Invincible Army is in front? Fabulous race, but have the Stewards got it wrong?
Worse of both worlds there, Barraquero really shouldn’t have been allowed to run and the Army loses by a whisker.
Back at Ascot would you expect the form to be turned around? I’m not too sure.
Heartache was weak in the betting and it showed why. That was very poor and she’s got no hope in the Commonwealth Cup after that effort. Unfortunately was an open secret as a no hoper today and it was a two horse race in the end.
May have been a bit soon for James Garfield after the Guineas and I don’t really like horses tried at a mile dropping back to sprinting. It’s such a different requirement and he’s been a shade disappointing today.
Luckily for me, I have Sands Of Mali for the Commonwealth Cup in a bet placed just after the Gimcrack. I had sort of written it off after the Middle Park and the abortive try at a mile in the USA but his Prix Sigy win gave hope and the runner up there went on to win a Group 3 next time out.
Not confident on Sands Of Mali but it is a bet that seemed down so I am happy enough. He’s generally 8/1 now, yet AFTER the Prix Sigy only four firms were quoting him. As I said then, that would change when heads were pulled out of butts.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
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