SANDOWN SATURDAY

12:20 CORAL CHARGE (SPRINT) (GROUP 3) 5F 10Y

Muthmir is the pick on his best form, but failed to convince in the face of a fairly simple task last time, and he was unplaced in this race a year ago from a high draw. Once again, he’s parked wider than ideal, and looks vulnerable given his need to find cover in his races.

Dream Of Dreams has the draw, but lacks the form over five furlongs, but while it’s easy to dismiss him after a disappointing effort in the Chipchase last week, it’s possible that the drop in trip will suit this free-goer, and he has more chance of settling at this trip than further. He’s been held onto in both runs this season, ostensibly to help him drop his head and expend less energy, but he’s not a hold-up performer per se, the tactics used not to maximise a perceived strength, but to hide a weakness.

His best efforts for Kevin Ryan came when forcing the pace, and he was in front for most of the journey when an impressive winner at Lingfield in September.

With no natural front runner in opposition here, it would make sense if Danny Tudhope was to bounce him out from stall one and make the most of a positive draw; if he can do that then he could gain a decisive early advantage which the others would not find easy to whittle away.

12:55 CORAL CHALLENGE (HANDICAP) 1M

The Manson project, which is not as sinister as it sounds, continues here. Dominic ffrench Davis trains the Equiano gelding, who first caught my eye when landing a handicap over course and distance as a three-year-old, beating a trio of next-time-out winners in some style. Unfortunately, my dream that he would prove a ticket to riches has turned into something of a nightmare since then, and he’s somehow failed to win again in 14 starts.

That’s just the kind of profile which makes sane people take the horse out of their trackers and put the stake-money saved towards an Ikea wardrobe or something equally sensible, but I still retain the faith, and having recently purchased a wardrobe and a couple of dining chairs from the Swedish home-furnishing emporium, I feel justified in having another investment in this particular cliff horse.

There is no doubt that Manson has occasionally looked difficult to win with, but he’s also been in the handicapper’s vice-like grip for some time, and has run enough solid races to remain 7lbs above his winning mark.

I’m not a fan of cheekpieces, and while he ran creditably on his first start in the furry headgear, his last two runs in 2017 were unaccountably poor, and his trainer sensibly switched to more severe headgear for his reappearance, and he ran one of his best races, finishing with gusto to grab second behind a more prominently ridden rival.

Manson can occasionally lack focus, and blinkers seemed to help him knuckle down last time, so it’s hoped that they continue to have a beneficial effect. He was beaten less than three lengths in this race a year ago, and doesn’t need to step up much to improve on that from a 3lb lower mark. The unfashionable status of his trainer is bound to make him a backable price, and he has a really solid form chance.

1:30 CORAL DISTAFF (LISTED) 1M

It’s possible that Narella has been catching pigeons since transferring from the stable of Marcus Klug to Roger Varian’s Newmarket stable, but it’s very hard to see why she is such a short price for this listed contest.

It’s true that she is unpenalised for winning the Group 3 Zukunfts-Rennen (Futurity) at Baden Baden in the autumn, but that win came as a shock to punters, and the favourite appeared to have an off-day. She finished last of all in the Prix Marcel Boussac when last seen, and it’s very hard to gauge what her form is worth. She might well prove her group win was no fluke, but at the prices, it may pay to look elsewhere.

Awesometank comes here after making virtually all at Chelmsford last time, and that win looks a step up on what she achieved when winning a pair of nurseries last season. It’s often the case at Chelmsford that front runners can be flattered, but Awesometank was never given any peace by market rival Mesquite, and the whole field were well enough placed on the home turn.

From that point the winner pressed on impressively to pull away from her rivals, and she strode out with real purpose to the line. The runner-up has been beaten since, but that came on her turf debut, and should be ignored. There is no real suggestion that she enjoyed any tactical advantage, other than that conferred by being in front. The speed figure she posted was excellent.

Given she’s proven on turf, and appears to have trained on well, she looks overpriced, and she will be well placed again here. Darkness Falls is presumably being utilised as a pacemaker, but it’s doubtful if her win off 68 at Naas last time marks her out as a credible pace angle at this level, and Awesometank shouldn’t be inconvenienced by her presence.

2:10 CORAL-ECLIPSE (GROUP 1) 1M 1F 209Y

It’s possible to go round in circles analysing the form of the Craven Stakes, 2000 Guineas and Derby in which the major contenders have clashed, but there are different interpretations to be gleaned from each of those races, with Masar slamming Roaring Lion in the Guineas trial before Saxon Warrior put both in the place in the Guineas itself.

Both the vanquished colts turned the table comfortably on Aidan O’Brien’s star at Epsom, while Roaring Lion was most impressive when winning at this intermediate trip in the Dante Stakes. It’s very hard to tell what the finishing order will be in another clash, but the notion that the three-year-olds are sure to dominate is premature, especially when considering what happened in the Irish Derby only last week.

Throw in the fact that both Godolphin and Coolmore have pacemakers with top-level form, but may be there to set slow fractions, fast fractions or no fractions at all, and the race could get very messy from a tactical perspective, with the chances of more than half the field likely to be compromised by anything but an even pace.

One horse who is almost certain to avoid getting caught up in the backwash is Forest Ranger. Richard Fahey’s challenger is likely to be ridden in straightforward fashion and not beholden on any other runner to gain any advantage. He can be expected to sit just behind the lead, or could even go on himself if it turns out the pacemaker scenario is a double-bluff.

He’s also a better horse than he’s been given credit for, with a gelding operation making a big difference to his demeanour, and he now has the professionalism to go with his undoubted talent. His wins this season have come at a lower level, but both have been designed to bring him on with a view to peaking on this day, which has clearly been a long-term plan, something which isn’t true for many of his rivals. He looks a solid contender for a place, and he’s thoroughly unexposed at this trip having proved that he stays when winning the Huxley Stakes at Chester, where he saw daylight throughout from the widest draw.

The bare form of that race is nothing special, but it was a watershed for him, the trip and tactics putting pressure on his new-found ability to settle and he passed impressively. He has been extremely well handled by Fahey, and is not to be underestimated.

RECOMMENDED:

DREAM OF DREAMS 12:20 Sandown - 1pt win @ 7/1 (general)

MANSON 12:55 Sandown - 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (Bet365)

AWESOMETANK 1:30 Sandown - 1pt win @ (Bet365, Paddy Power)

FOREST RANGER 2:10 Sandown - 1pt e/w @ 9/1 (Bet365, Betfair)