The race of the day this Saturday might be the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock for three-year-old sprinters, a trial for next month’s Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
It’s a tough task picking between the top four in the betting, as they’re all much of a muchness and around the same price.
Recent Ascot winner and race favourite Invincible Army looks good but doesn’t have the edge on his two-year-old form with Sands Of Mali, who beat him in the Gimcrack at York, and JAMES GARFIELD, who beat him at Newbury aged two, both also winners this season.
Jame Garfield is perhaps the best of that trio given his Greenham Stakes win – a race won by many of the greats including champion sprinter Muhaarar – and the 11/2 offered by Black Type does stand out as value.
He ran quite well in the 2000 Guineas earlier in the month but it’s safe to say a mile isn’t his trip, and this drop back to six furlongs is likely to suit.
There don’t seem many negatives and he has the form in the book, so he’s worth chancing.
Originally, before James Garfield drifted overnight, I was most keen on taking a big price on John Gosden’s EMBLAZONED at 16/1.
He’s raced three times, twice on the all weather with the most recent a win, and once on the turf ten days ago when recording a ridiculously easy win without coming off the bridle.
You won’t see too many John Gosden-Frankie Dettori combos in Group races at prices like this, and he has a nice unexposed profile to potentially upset the odds.
Each-way terms look rubbish so we’ll back both on the nose.
1pt win James Garfield @11/2, 15:25 Haydock, Saturday
1pt win Emblazoned @16/1, 15:25 Haydock, Saturday