Sandown Saturday

1.40 Tattersalls EBF Maiden

Fillies’ Stakes 7f

Expect the going to ease further at Sandown before racing with up to half an inch of rain forecast by Saturday lunchtime. The televised action feels a little unbalanced, with maiden and novice contests making up some of the fare, and it’s never easy to bet in advance on such contests.

That said, Tall Trees sets a solid standard and put up her best effort yet when third in the Listed Star Stakes over course and distance last time. Brian Meehan was without a juvenile winner until midweek, but a double at Newbury ended his drought and that can only be good news for Tall Trees.

Thi Qar shades favouritism at the time of writing but while she is open to improvement after just one start, it’s harder to quantify what she achieved in a slowly run maiden at Newmarket three weeks ago. It’s to her credit that she and the winner came so far clear of the others, but the form is yet to be tested and preference is for Tall Trees, whose form is fully backed up by the clock.

2.15 Zyn Frontrunner Finish Handicap 1m 1f 209yd

Crown Of Oaks has a bit to prove after finishing last of seven in the International Stakes at the Curragh on his sole outing this season, but it’s possible that he didn’t fully let himself down on fast ground there and he was looked after when his winning chance was gone in a race that has worked out very well.

An absence since indicates that William Haggas has been waiting for some ease in the ground and the four-year-old is likely to derive plenty of benefit from the recent showers.

The Cambridgeshire is likely to be his main autumn target but he will go well here if back to the form that saw him land the Balmoral Handicap on Champions Day at Ascot last October.

2.50 BetMGM Atalanta Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) 1m

Kon Tiki and Moon Target have the form in better races to set the standard, but I suspect we have yet to see the best of Ralph Beckett’s Secret Of Life, who has been given an entry in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket next month, and the unbeaten daughter of Pinatubo can advertise her credentials for that contest by following up her course and distance win in the Coral Distaff.

Beckett made it clear when he raised her in class last time that he believed she had the potential for much better, with his only concern her lack of experience, and she justified that confidence by beating Silenciosa by almost three lengths. A winner of a soft-ground novice at Haydock before that, she will cope with further rain better than most (front two in the ratings unproven on ground softer than good) and she is capable of maintaining her perfect sequence.

3.30 BetMGM Solario Stakes (Group 3) 7f

Likely favourite Rock Montreal was an impressive debut winner at Yarmouth, but that was on firm ground and how he will cope with the softer ground and stronger company are unknown, making him less than enticing as a bet.

In truth, it’s not easy to be confident about the race at all, but if the rain hits particularly hard then soft-ground York winner Mia Fantasia isn’t out of things by any means, and is likely to attract support from his opening price.

My preference is for Sonic Angel, yet to race on turf but a half-brother to one who handled soft ground in France and from the family of Roby Roy, winner of the Joel Stakes and runner-up in the Champion Stakes on a yielding surface.

The fact that he’s run twice on artificial surfaces in a dry summer to date is an indication that Simon Crisford doesn’t want to race him on fast turf and so the rain is likely to be a positive to his chances in an admittedly trappy contest.

His latest effort saw him run out an authoritative winner of a seven-furlong novice at Newcastle in a decent time and that entitles him to maximum respect in this field.

2.00 Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap 7f

Forty Years On is a filly going places and, while Goodwood may not be the ideal track for her, looks to hold outstanding claims in this handicap. A three-time winner last year, including on yielding ground on handicap bow at Ascot in the autumn, she made a successful return in a 0-90 handicap over this trip at Newbury in June.

She beat the talented if frustrating Brian by three lengths that day and looked in a different league to the others, so an 8lb rise for that win isn’t at all harsh considering that three of those who were left floundering have won handicaps since and she again showed that she is very well suited by an easy surface there.

A strong-travelling sort, she has more to offer and could easily be a black-type performer when conditions are in her favour.

2.35 Virgin Bet A Good Bet Handicap 1m 3f 218yd

Plenty of these have something to prove on either the ground, the trip, or both. Market leader High Degree looks best on a quick surface at shorter, and he in particular looks worth taking on.

Add to that the fact that fancied pair Tony Montana (unplaced on all three starts at this trip) and Too Soon (both wins have come on soft ground at Epsom) also look opposable and this looks a race to get stick into, with Rathgar appealing as excellent value if all go to post.

In fairness, Jack Channon’s gelding hasn’t won over 12 furlongs but he is a dual scorer over 14 furlongs, including on soft ground here. He has also been campaigned successfully over shorter since, showcasing his adaptability.

His most recent win came in the City & Suburban Handicap at Epsom’s spring meeting when beating the progressive Sallaal, whose three subsequent wins have included the Rose of Lancaster Stakes.

Held off higher marks since, Rathgar hasn’t shaped too badly in defeat, and fast ground over a sharp 10 furlongs wasn’t enough of a test for him here last time.

With rain to ease the ground and stepping up again to a trip he may need these days, he’s expected to get right back to his best. Odds of around 14/1 look very generous to my eyes.

3.10 Virgin Bet Celebration Mile Stakes (Group 2) 1m

It would be very harsh to suggest that leading juvenile Zavateri hasn’t trained on and, in truth, he looks just as good as he did last year but is merely finding a few progressing at a faster rate.

That has made the Group 1 prizes tough for him, but he has run with credit in the Sussex Stakes and the City of York on his last two starts and should benefit from the return to a mile, as well as the ease in class, to gain a first win of the season.He could finish only fifth in both races but kept battling to the line and holds Qirat on Sussex Stakes form, with that rival finishing five lengths adrift over C&D, while he finished closer to Ten Bob Tony at York while giving the impression that a fast seven furlongs is a barely adequate test for him now.

Main danger Boiling Point probably needs further than a mile to show his true colours. It looks a very good opportunity for Eve Johnson Houghton’s star.

Crown Of Oaks 2.15 Sandown, 1pt win 8/1 (Ladbrokes, BetVictor, 15/2 general)

Secret Of Life 2.50 Sandown, 2pt win 7/2 (Ladbrokes, BetVictor, Coral)

Forty Years On 2.00 Goodwood, 1pt win 5/2 (Bet365, 9/4 general)

Rathgar 2.35 Goodwood 1pt e/w 16/1 (Bet365, 14/1 general)

Zavateri 3.10 Goodwood 1pt win 2/1 (general)