Sandown Saturday:

2:05 Listen To BetMGM On Talksport Handicap 1m

It’s possible that there will be enough rain in the morning to change the going, and if they make a print, then course specialist Dual Identity will take the beating. He is vulnerable, however, over a mile on good or quicker ground, with testing ground and a solid pace a big help to him when scoring over course and distance last time. He owes us nothing, in any case.

A case can be made for plenty, in truth, but I’m surprised to see the once high-class Imperial Fighter priced up at 50/1 in a couple of places and while he’s not easy to support on recent evidence, a return to his best form would make him look very well treated off a BHA mark of 95. In truth, he’s been hard to place since finishing third in the Irish 2000 Guineas two years ago, and has been banging his head against a brick wall given he was rated as high as 110 as a juvenile.

I’ve not been convinced with Imperial Fighter beyond a mile, while seven furlongs would have been sharp enough on his return at Newmarket. That was his first start for Jamie Osborne and he’s sure to be better for it, with the Royal Hunt Cup likely to be his immediate aim. He will get competitive from his falling mark and Osborne can be relied upon to place him to advantage. Perhaps he will need more time to bed in, but he’s simply too big to ignore given his undoubted ability.

2:40 BetMGM: It’s Showtime Scurry Stakes (Listed) 5f 10y

Rain would again be a benefit to the selection here, while a very slow start in the Temple Stakes on her return also rings some alarm bells, but Flora of Bermuda has a cracking chance at the weights in what looks a sub-par renewal of the Scurry Stakes and even if she misses a beat at the start, the predicted strong pace should see the race set up nicely for her and she is taken to sweep through late to take the honours.

York Saturday:

1:50 Queen Mother’s Cup Handicap (Female Amateur Jockeys) 1m 3f 188y

A big field ought to make for a well-run race for this popular York attraction, and I’m keen to oppose the undeniably well-treated favourite Star Jasmine on the basis of this trip. She finished fast in a falsely run mile and one handicap at Hamilton last time, but it was her relative speed in the finish that impressed, with the way that race was run not putting as much emphasis on stamina as would be the case with an end-to-end gallop. That’s what she will get here and with over a quarter of a mile further to travel, she will have that suspect stamina (dam was a six furlong performer) sternly tested.

At bigger odds, Piecederesistance looks to have plenty going for him having dropped to a generous mark. Two creditable efforts over course and distance last summer, including in this contest, came from much higher marks, but he’s handicapped to win now and shaped well after a break here on his latest outing, finishing three lengths second of 20 to Dancing In Paris over track and trip.

That was the first time he’d worn a hood on turf and he settled better than had been the case last season, which is encouraging, as while he ran well here last term, he did race a bit too freely and weakened late to be sixth in big fields. If the hood continues to work, there is no reason why he can’t improve on his effort 12 months ago, and the assessor’s kindness could make all the difference.

2:25 Sky Bet Proud To Support Macmillan Handicap 7f

Londoner is not an easy horse to get a handle on, having won just a one-mile all-weather maiden for Aidan O’Brien, and three runs for Jim Goldie have come over varied trips, starting off with a non-staying effort over a mile and three in the Rosebery Handicap at Kempton and then dropped back to a sharp five furlongs at Musselburgh.

His latest race came over the seven furlongs of the Victoria Cup at Ascot and while beaten seven lengths into 14th does not sound like a step in the right direction, he actually shaped much better than the result, racing just behind the leading line but badly hampered when crossed by Bless Him a furlong out and snatched up as a result. Despite being allowed to coast home, he seemed to pick up again under his own steam in the last hundred yards, passing a couple of rivals and finishing with running left.

It’s worth noting that Jim Goldie has him entered in both the Hunt Cup and Wokingham at Ascot next week and he’s unexposed at a mile and shorter having often looked a weak finisher at longer trips. I’d say a mile might end up being his ideal distance, but his dam got faster as she got older and progressed through handicaps to win the Prix de l’Abbaye as a four-year-old. He travelled well enough over this trip at Ascot and has been eased further in the handicap as a result, so while it’s possible he’ll need a bit more help from the handicapper before getting back to winning ways, he’s priced very generously here and is worth chancing with easy ground expected to help.

3:00 Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes (Listed) 1m 5f 188y

The Grand Cup has never lived up to its title and this year the runners can boast a record of one win from 28 starts in blacktype company, making it impossible to make a compelling case for any one of them. The winner – at listed level – is Chesspiece, and it’s possible that he will be helped by first-time blinkers having taken little interest in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown last time. That’s not much to cling to, however, and I’m happy to give him, and the race, a wide berth.

3:35 Churchill Tyres Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap 6f

This three-year-old handicap looks fiercely competitive and the best angle into it that I could find is that all the pace comes from those drawn middle to high, and while some of those drawn in the far-side half of the draw appear to have strong enough claims on paper, I’m concentrating on those drawn eight or higher who should have the advantage of track position if my initial analysis is correct.

Vince L’Amour is interesting at the prices, especially with more rain likely to ease underfoot conditions and he ran well from a tricky draw at Epsom in the three-year-old Dash on Derby day. That race was dominated by the highest drawn horses, with stalls 20, 19 and 17 providing the tricast.

He had to race quite a long way off the favoured rail there and did well in the circumstances to finish sixth. A winner over six furlongs at Catterick on testing ground in April, he had finished in front of the Epsom winner and third when just touched off at Chester and can be forgiven a poor run here on his next start on the basis that it probably came soon enough after his previous race. It’s possible he’s one of those horses who don’t act on the Knavesmire, but it’s not hard finding positives and he looks a big price at odds as generous as 25/1.

Recommended

Imperial Fighter 2:05 Sandown – 0.5pts e/w at 40/1 (general – 5 places)

Piecederesistance 1:50 York – 1pt e/w at 10/1 (general – 5 places)

Londoner 2:25 York – 1pt e/w at 33/1 (Betfair, 6 places; 5 places general)

Vince L’Amour 3:35 York – 0.5pts e/w at 25/1 (Betfair 5 places, 22/1 general)