Classic Trial and other 3yo races at Sandown

All 6 races at Sandown this afternoon are restricted to 3yo´s and it is highly likely that some stars of the future will be on view, notably in the Classic Trial at 15.00 CET over 10 furlongs, in which 6 hopefuls, all from top stables, put their Derby credentials to the test. Taameer (Marcus Tregoning/ Ricard Hills) is quoted at 20-1 for the Derby and is the likely favourite here, but obviously Aidan O´Brien´s unbeaten Malibu Bay (Johnny Murtagh) is a big danger-. However he is taking a huge leap in class compared to the race he won last October at Navan, and the Hamdan runner, about whom there are positive reports, is preferred. The lightly-weighted Racketeer (John Gosden/ Nicky Mackay) and Thief of Time (Peter Chapple-Hyam/ Alan Munro) can fight out the finish of the Esher Cup over a mile at 14.25, while the 5 furlongs handicap at 15.35 looks very tricky; Roger Charlton´s Affluent (Steve Drowne) is only a hopeful choice.

The other flat racing today is on the all-weather, this afternoon at Wolverhampton and this evening at Dundalk in Ireland. Best race at the former track is the 5 furlongs handicap at 17.10. Wotashirtfull (James Boyle/ Pat Cosgrave) is very consistnt and ran a good race at Epsom on Wednesday, but is running for the first time at this track, so course specialist Almaty Express (John Weymes/ Darryll Holland), who came back to form last time, can score his 11th CD win. At Dundalk, the 3yo handicap over 11 furlongs at 22.00 is the main feature; Cochlear (Tommy Stack/ Wayne Lordan) has already won 5 times here, including twice this season, but will find it hard to give weight to the last-time-out winners Designated Decoy (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen) and Shaimaa (JJ Hanlon/ Martin Harley).