3 Group Races at Sandown

lots of racing today, three meetings in the afternoon and four in the evening, but pride of place clearly goes to Sandown, which stages an excellent card with 3 group races. In the old days this used to be a mixed meeting, but now we have only flat racing on the Friday and only jumps racing on the Saturday, which marks the official end of the U.K. 2014-5 N.H. season. It will also mark the end of the most successful jumps career of all time - that of AP McCoy who finally hangs up his boots tomorrow after more than 4000 winners and as champion jockey for the 20th successive season.
The main feature today is the Group Two Mile at 15.30 CET, in which Here Comes When (Andrew Balding/ Jim Crowley) makes his reappearance; he ended last season by winning the Oettingen-Rennen at Baden-Baden and then the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket, with Breton Rock (David Simcock/ Martin Lane) a close third and now 4 lbs better off. Custom Cut (David O´Meara/ Danny Tudhope) won 5 successive races last season before getting bogged down in the heavy ground in an Ascot Group One. Bow Creek (Charlie Appleby/ William Buick) also finished last season on a high by winning his last 2 races, but the one to beat is clearly Shifting Power (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes), who is best in at these weights and represents a stable famous for its milers - the Hannons have won this 7 times in the last 11 years. Shifting Power was 4th in the 200 Guineas last year and runner-up in the Irish version and also the Jean Prat. A repetition of those pieces of form would suffice here.
With the regrettable absense of French challenger Grey Lion, the Classic Trial over 10 furlongs at 16.00 is now down to 4 runners, and Commemorative (Charlie Hills/ Frankie Dettori) is clear top-rated here. He was beaten less than 3 lengths when third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf and before that had won well over a mile at Newmarket; the extra distance is not expected to be a problem. It certainly won´t bother Cape Clear Island (Aidan O´Brien/ Ryan Moore), a 14-1 winner over this trip in the valuable Tattersalls sales race at Newmarket last week. He is probably not one of O´Brien´s main classic hopes, but his runners must never be underestimated. Master Apprentice (Balding/ David Probert) and Snoano (John Gosden/ Dane O´Neill) need to improve on their juvenile form to figure here. The same trainers have in our opinion much better chances in the Gordon Richards Stakes, also over 10 furlongs, at 15.00. Balding runs Tullius (Jimmy Fortune), a very smatrt miler but trying this trip for the first time, while Gosden has booked Dettori for Western Hymn, who won the classic trial here last year. Both of them however would probably prefer softer ground, and the specialist for today´s fast going is Postponed (Luca Cumani/ Adam Kirby), not seen since winning the Great Voltigeur but equally at home over this trip. Cannock Chase (Sir Michael Stoute/ Moore) is a big danger; the lightly-raced colt won all his 3 races last season and could go right to the top.

please note: this column is now going on a short holiday and will be back on May 3rd

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Yeenaan - Mukhayyam - Spring Offensive
2. Race: Cannock Chase - Postponed - Western Hymn
3. Race: Bow Creek - Here Comes When - Shifting Power
4. Race: Cape Clear Island - Snoano - Master Apprentice
5. Race: Waady - Thahab - Profitable
6. Race: Moonlight Sonata - Leading Design - June
7. Race: Stravagante - Jack Hobbs - Dartmouth