In a wide-open race, Clive Cox’s CONNECT looks a good bet at 6/1 in Sandown’s Group Three Solario Stakes for two-year-olds.
He was an impressive all-the-way winner over course and distance last time out, his second start, and a liking for Sandown gives him an excellent chance in this.
By Irish Guineas winner Roderic O’Connor – who was denied English Guineas success only by Frankel – he’s bred for mile trips so the stiff seven furlongs at Sandown is ideal, and it’s hard to see him not in the mix come the finish.
The best form in the race comes from the favourite, Godolphin’s Masar, whose Chesham Stakes third at Royal Ascot was emphatically boosted by the second winning next time out.
It’s probably better form than Romanised’s Group One sixth over in Ireland – and that horse has an undesirable habit of breaking slowly – and the 2/1 quotes for Masar lack any value.
At a big price of 16/1, the booking of Ryan Moore on ARBALET for trainer Hugo Palmer looks tempting and I want him on-side too.
He must step up considerably on known form but Moore rarely rides true long-shots in Group races and he’s likely to be over-priced.
He’s by top sire Dark Angel, whose progeny are best known as sprinters, but seven furlongs looks his trip on the last run’s evidence and connections claim he’s been trained specifically for this race.
As there are only seven runners each-way terms are less appealing and that would have been the way I’d want to go with this horse, but I can’t ignore his claims so a small win bet will suffice.
Second-favourite Purser only just won on his sole start at Newbury and his price is too tight to really be of interest, while Vintager is not out of it either.
It’s a wide-open race but both Connect and Arbalet can outrun their odds.
1pt win Connect @13/2, 14:25 Sandown, Saturday (various)
0.5 pt win Arbalet @16/1, 14:25 Sandown, Saturday (various)