Best evening meeting of the year at Sandown

6 meetings again today, but by far the most interesting is the evening fixture at Sandown, generally regarded as the best evening meeting of the whole year and featuring two group races and two listed. Unfortunately the ground is firming up, which could have quite an influence on the results.

The Brigadier Gerard Stakes over 10 furlongs at 20.45 CET has only 5 runners, but is still a very competitive affair. Arab Spring (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) is still improving and won his first start this season in good style at Newbury; however this Monsun 5yo may find this trip on fast ground a bit sharp. The very lightly-raced Eagle Top (John Gosden/ Frankie Dettori) finished fourth in the King George last year but has not raced since, while Gosden´s other runner Western Hymn (James Doyle) is a CD specialist who won the Gordon Richards here a month ago; however this looks tougher, and the really interesting runner is Tryster (Charlie Appleby/ William Buick), who has shown tremendous improvement this year, winning all 5 starts, all on the all-weather including the valuable Easter Classic. If he can translate that form to the turf, he could go right to the top.

The Henry II Stakes at 20.10 over 2 miles is often a good trial for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, and Irish challenger Simenon (Willie Mullins/ Ryan Moore) finished a close second there in 2013 and fifth again last year. He is also a smart hurdler but has been campaigned exclusively on the flat for the past 2 years, usually with Moore aboard when available. Forgotten Voice (Nicvky Henderson/ Jamie Spencer) is also a good hurdler but his flat form is inferior to that of Simenon. Trip to Paris (Ed Dunlop), who won the Chester Cup last time, and Vent de Force (Hughie Morrison/ Richard Hughes) are improving 4yo´s who are expected to break through Into the top staying ranks this year. They still have to prove it however and for the time being we prefer the known ability of Simenon; the fact that he is having his first run for ten months is no problem with this trainer, who is presumably aiming him at the Gold Cup once more.

The listed National Stakes over 5 furlongs at 19.35 is the hottest 2yo race of the year so far in the U.K.- all 9 runners are winners, 5 of them unbeaten, and we shall certainly see several of them again at Royal Ascot; the race must be watched with that end in view, but is too tricky for us to predict. The listed race for 3yo´s over a mile at 21.15 has also attracted a good field. Consort (Stoute/ Moore) won his only race so far so impressively that he could well defy this considerable leap in class:; the stable´s runners usually need their first start of the season, but this one could be the exception. He is entered in the Derby - won´t run there obviously - and the St. James´s Palace at Royal Ascot, which indicates the high regard in which he is held.