Rory Delargy

SANDOWN SATURDAY

1:20 coral.co.uk HANDICAP 7F

Mojito is much respected having caught the eye behind Afaak at Doncaster on his latest start, and he deserves to be near the head of the market with further progress almost certain, but marginal preference is for Almoreb, who is the more likely of the pair to appreciate a drop to seven furlongs, and he shaped very well from the front in a mile handicap here a few weeks ago, giving best only in the final 100 yards.

The son of Raven’s Pass comes from an excellent family, his dam being the Royal Hunt Cup winner Macadamia, with a plethora of other decent winners in the immediate pedigree. Almoreb gave the impression he would prove fully effective back in distance, and he is decent bet to again set the pace, which could prove crucial, especially as Mojito pulled hard under restraint at Doncaster, and Jim Crowley has the opportunity to set a pace which suits him rather than his rivals.

1:50 CORAL CHARGE (Group 3) 5F 10Y

Alpha Delphini remains a horse I have a lot of time for, but even my contrarian mindset can’t convince me that stall 11 of 11 is anything but a negative for Bryan Smart’s charge, and I’ll have to let him go unbacked as a result. Indeed, it’s consideration for the draw here, past and present, which points to the chance of Battaash, and the three-year-old looks a very good favourite.

Drawn on the outer here for last month’s Scurry Stakes, he raced freely without cover, but despite that, he showed great acceleration when asked to slam subsequent Group 3 winner Koropick. That effort needs marking up given how the race panned out, and he should have lost some of that freshness given the Scurry was his first race in eight months.

More significantly, he has a much better draw in stall two here, and ought to be able to grab the rail. He gets the formbook comment “slowly into stride” last time, but I think that’s because Dane O’Neill wanted to tuck him in from the wide draw, and I expect him to be sharp enough to lead even at this level.

2:25 CORAL CHALLENGE 1M

Greenside is clearly fragile, and has had very little racing for one his age, and it’s notable that he wasn’t asked to race on fast going until last autumn, but he clearly relishes the top of the ground, and would have won all three starts under such conditions with a bit more luck.

He was particularly impressive when turning around previous course and distance form with Laidback Romeo here last month, and looked to have plenty more in the locker.

He’s got the same draw in two as he had for that most recent win, and the six-year-old son of Dubawi is going to take all the beating again.

Of the others, Blair House and Hors De Combat shaped well in the Hunt Cup, but have wide draws and are likely to forfeit ground by dropping in, so it could be an also-ran from that Ascot race who will be the main danger. George William was beaten a long way in the Hunt Cup, but was one of only three to race on the far rail, and can be forgiven that very easily.

He’d previously finished an excellent second to Fastnet Tempest in the Victoria Cup, and should bounce back to form given his positive profile. Rusumaat is another who could shrug off a poor Royal Ascot performance, and can’t be dismissed at longer odds.

3:00 CORAL DISTAFF (Listed) 1M

Few fillies have progressed with racing as much as Tisbutadream this year, and David Elsworth’s tough chesnut is an appealing bet in the Distaff, where the lack of obvious pace will surely see her revert to the positive tactics that brought about career-best performances in her two runs prior to Royal Ascot.

She was held up in the Sandringham Handicap, and failed to fire, but the booking of Silvestre de Sousa should see her back to form and forcing the issue. Her effort in finishing third in the Princess Elizabeth is the best any of these can muster on the stopwatch, and a repeat will set the bar high enough for most of her opponents here.

Paco’s Angel has her measure on Ascot running, but that race is not a good indication of Tisbutadream’s true ability, and she’s fancied to turn the tables.

3:35 CORAL-ECLIPSE (Group 1) 1M 1F 209Y

There are questions about this trip for a few of the runners, with Lightning Spear and Barney Roy stepping up from a mile and not giving the impression this increased test of stamina is called for, particularly the former.

On the other hand, I don’t subscribe to the notion that Cliffs Of Moher failed to stay in the Derby, and he strikes me as more of a St Leger type than an Eclipse winner. He may very well prove me wrong, but I don’t fancy playing at 7/4 to find out.

Eminent is another for whom the distance of the Eclipse will be a new venture, but he gives every indication that he will be ideally suited by it, and he was better than the result at Epsom, when Jim Crowley found Ryan Moore taking his run on the outside and Eminent unable to open up fully in the closing stages.

He’s twice found the tactics of others his undoing in classics, and Martyn Meade seems determined to allow him to use his stride here, with the booking of Silvestre de Sousa a conspicuous positive, and he looks likely to lead the pack chasing likely leader Taj Mahal.

The assumption with Taj Mahal is that he’s merely there to provide a strong pace for his stablemate, but his form is not far behind that required to make the frame here, and if Padraig Beggy can get his fractions spot on, then the tough Taj Mahal could cause some embarrassment, a scenario not unfamilar to Beggy after he mugged Ryan Moore and Cliffs Of Moher in the Derby.

The Galileo colt was something of a disappointment last year, but seems the type to thrive on a busy schedule (never known to run up light), and he’s not a 100/1 shot by any means.

RECOMMENDED

BATTAASH 1.50 Sandown - 2pts win @ 11/4 (general - 3/1 SkyBet)

GREENSIDE 2.25 Sandown - 2pts win @ 5/1 (general)

TISBUTADREAM 3.00 Sandown - 1pt win @ 7/1 (general)

EMINENT 3.35 Sandown - 2pts win @ 9/2 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

Rory’s recommended selections last week included LONDON PRIZE (5/2) and HOME OF THE BRAVE (7/2).