The two-day Eclipse meeting at Sandown will open on ground likely to be on the soft side of good and today's feature event is the 10f listed Gala Stakes.
Roger Charlton's stable star Time Test will take his chance in Saturday's feature, 9/2 at BetVictor, despite reservations on account of the ground but the yard can land today's feature courtesy of Ayrad (4.00) in receipt of 3lbs from Gm Hopkins who steps up to ten furlongs for the first time.
The selection, formerly trained by Roger Varian, finished third in the Gordon Richards Stakes back in April on similar ground to today's but is not a regular winner having only scored twice in 13 career starts. As long as the race doesn't develop into a crawl, however, he can outstay John Gosden's Gm Hopkins with Spark Plug considered as big a danger especially if the race proves tactical.
It is hard to oppose The Last Lion (2.50) in the other listed race on the card given he was last seen finishing runner up in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. The draw in stall eight (of eight) is less than ideal but it shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience given the juice in the ground.
This will be the slowest ground that Both Sides (4.30) has encountered but he creeps into the race at the foot of the weights, leading apprentice Edward Greatrex takes off a valuable 5lbs and the classic generation have won this race four times in the last six years.
Fellow 3-year-old Altarasheed was value for much more than the three-quarters-of-a-length winning margin at Goodwood last time and a 5lbs rise is fair; he must go close but Both Sides will think he is let loose with only 8st 1lbs on his back and gets the vote.
The New Pharaoh (5.05) is a brother of former Derby winner Motivator and has won both starts so far this term in the manner of a progressive horse; the step back up to 14f will suit Chris Wall's charge although the handicapper has had his say and he is 11lbs higher than when winning at Newbury back in May.
There's a decent fillies handicap at Doncaster over 12f and today's soft ground should suit Dubka (3.05) trained by Sir Michael Stoute; the daughter of Dubawi broke her maiden at the second time of asking at Chepstow and she just gets the vote ahead of recent Ripon winner Shafafya who steps up in trip and is 7lbs higher than when scoring last time.
The beautifully bred newcomer Soundstrings (5.15) can make a winning debut for William Haggas in the 7f fillies' maiden. The selection is a sister to Group 1 winner Naaqoos and she can beat likely short priced favourite Delve although the betting will provide a valuable guide.
Maxi Chop (3.15) never got competitive at Ffos Las last time but was backed as if defeat was out of the question for the Paul Nicholls camp and he is given the vote to recoup losses at Newton Abbot with Sam Twiston-Davies taking over in the saddle from a 7lbs conditional.
Peter Bowen has his string in great shape and Strumble Head (4.50) hinted at a return to form when runner up at Ffos Las last time and he is taken to go one better from a 2lbs higher mark; the selection can jump out to the right but is 10lbs lower than his last winning mark and there might be one last hurrah in the 11-year-old.
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