None of the runners from the first maiden (3.55) set foot on the track, so the market will be the best guide. However, Ralph Beckett has a good two years this season and Vee Sight makes a lot of pedigree draws, while Umax is the only horse in the roster to have a big race entry (in the Dewhurst).
The rest of the Placepot races are big field handicaps with the potential for the perm to get too big. To keep this manageable, it may be worth focusing on the Andaleep curriculum in the apprentice handicap (4.20) and the Fast Response improvement in kindergarten (4.50).
The other three races will be tough to get through and it’s hard to know where the best place to be drawn is on track 5f in Sandown these days. Therefore, it is safer to take a low draw, King Of Stars, and a high draw, A Pint Of Bear, in the sprint (5.20). Hopefully the soil doesn’t deteriorate too much for the latter.
Cormier is well handicapped on his form over hurdles in the 1m6f handicap (5.45). He is expected to accompany progressive Yagood, who was unlucky not to win at Nottingham last time around.
There are a lot of fit fillies in Placepot’s final race at 6:15 am, but Strawberri could still be quite handicapped despite a few recent wins and Oisin Murphy is surely an important reservation for One Small Step.
Sandown Placepot Selections
3.55
ten Umax
11 V sight
4.20
8 Andaleep
4.50
3 A quick answer
5.20
6 Star king
13 a pint of bear
5.45
4 Cormier
13 Yagood
6.15
1 A small step
8 Strawberry
2x1x1x2x2x2 = 16 lines
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FIRST PUBLISHED AT 6:00 PM, AUGUST 21, 2021