After a bumper meeting on Saturday, we’re back to Sandown on Wednesday for another quality eight-race program.
The track is rated a Soft 6 with showers forecast, while the rail remains out 8 metres across the circuit.
To help you find a few winners, we’ve run the rule over the entire card below.
Open race to begin with a few of these still unproven over the 2400m trip. Herrlich was an impressive winner of his maiden two back at Geelong, pushing forward and leading from barrier to box to score narrowly in a diving finish. The son of Snitzel found the rise to in class difficult four weeks later at Flemington, leading into the bend where the step back to 2000m also looked a little short. Drawn a better gate on this occasion and back to midweek class, he should run a much-improved race on the speed now that Daniel Stackhouse has a good feel for him.
Cheval Chic is a smart mare out of the Danny O’Brien yard returning from a five-week let-up. The daughter of Written Tycoon was strong through the line last-start at Geelong, winning by half a length with plenty left to give on a wet track – form that has been franked with the runner-up going on to win more recently. She’s hard fit now for two runs back and did string together a pair of wins late last year.
Kiko only warmed to the task last start on the Lakeside track off a wide run in transit under Craig Williams. Blake Shinn takes over now in her third run back from a spell and appears to have more options at his disposal from barrier 4. Her first-up win over this trip was solid, a race that has also produced a handful of winners since.
Ginger Sweet has gone up a nice price for a filly that won quite well two runs back over the track and distance. The Tavistock mare found excuses in her latest effort at Caulfield, missing the start and never given much of a chance in a race that was dominated by those up on the speed. She’s been given a good gap between runs and draws to find cover this time with Ben Allen returning to the saddle.
Jaykayann could be aided by the awkward gate as she likes to get back and run on in her races. Patrick Payne’s mare hasn’t won in just over a year, but she has handed in some honest efforts since resuming, highlighted by a runner-up effort behind the toppy Mathew second-up at Cranbourne last month. It looked as though she might be wanting further when she finished midfield on the Lakeside track last-start, while the booking of Billy Egan – who has won twice in the saddle – also commands respect.
Nation’s Call hasn’t done a great deal wrong since debuting last month. The talented Irish import improved on a runner-up effort at sale to win out over the mile at Pakenham, leading all the way to score by a healthy margin thanks to the tactics of Blake Shinn. This is tougher again but he should appreciate some sting out of the track in a race that lacks early speed. Back slightly in trip, there’s no reason he can’t go on with the job.
Northern Barrage could give this a shake following his return to form at Geelong first-up over further. It’s been a long time between drinks for Michael Kent’s four-year-old, but he did give good chase to run third beaten only half a length when carrying 60kg. Ethan Brown remains in the irons dropping 3kg for the ride and will likely adopt similar tactics off the speed from a similar gate.
Glitzing appeared in need of the run when she was second-last to greet the judge on return over 1200m. Danny O’Brien’s mare was held up approaching the final furlong among a wall of horses charging the line, an effort she can improve on if Billy Egan takes her forward early from the wide gate. The daughter of Starspangledbanner took on tougher races than this during the spring and also won quite well over the track and distance second-up. Likes a wet track and should prove tough to run down under Billy Egan.