August 31 / 15.00 Sandown

15.00

Good

Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap

  • Prize money: £23193
  • 1m 1f 209y
  • Class 2
  • 6 runners
ITV
View Course
Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

12/1 (Won)

  • Win: £6.50
  • Place: £2.80

Form: 522-80 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 8st 11lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Progressive form last season, runner-up over 1m2f and 1m1f on last two outings; not disgraced when back to 1m here on reappearance but last of 12 when returned to 1m2f (first run on firmer than good) on latest start; needs a return to his 2023 form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

(1)

25th Sep 2026

Good

1m 1f 0y

Class 3

16:45 Newmarket

Flying Frontier

10st 0lb

J: Rossa Ryan

T: James Tate

7lb beneath the mark he defied at Sandown in July 2025 (1m2f, good to firm) but he's not made the same impact this season and now looks exposed; blinkers are turned to; others are way more intriguing.

8/1

7th

11

(3)

12th Sep 2026

Good To Soft

1m 2f 43y

Class 2

16:48 Doncaster

Flying Frontier

8st 12lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: James Tate

Held up; picked up one 1m2f Sandown handicap in summer 2024 and 2025; hasn't quite had the same impact this season, including twice at that track and when tried in cheekpieces on latest start, but he is now 6lb below his peak mark and a case can be made.

20/1

7th

7

(12)

29th Aug 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 2

14:15 Sandown

Flying Frontier

9st 3lb

J: Luke Morris

T: James Tate

Likes this C&D and won this race in 2024; creditable fourth to Stem here in July but then ran poorly at Ascot; now has cheekpieces fitted.

25/1

5/2

  • Place: £1.90

Form: 3-1132

Last run: 56 days

W: 8st 11lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Made all in two 7f novice events at Doncaster in the spring; resumed his improvement when second of ten on handicap debut over C&D on latest outing, wearing a hood first time and finishing 13l clear of the third; those three races were on soft ground and he's unraced on anything firmer than good to soft; that leaves a major question to answer and he's also been raised 6lb.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

1

(1)

16th Sep 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 1

15:30 Sandown

Balmacara

9st 6lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

Second in this last year (soft) and he reappeared with a 50-1 Listed third at Haydock (7f, good) in May; however, he's finished down the field on his four outings since and needs to turn things around.

40/1

8th

1

(3)

5th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 7f 212y

Class 1

13:25 Haydock

Balmacara

9st 5lb

J: Callum Hutchinson

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

Winning touch has deserted him since taking back-to-back novices in the spring of 2024; has run some good races during the losing sequence and testing ground won't hold him back, but even if right on his game these weights are unfavourable.

25/1

11th

5

(16)

4th Jul 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

14:25 Sandown

Balmacara

9st 5lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Eve Johnson Houghton

Useful but he is 0-12 since a Doncaster novice double in spring 2024 and not particularly solid on 2026 form; on a difficult mark returned to handicap level and isn't sure to uphold a consistent Sandown record.

33/1

Form: -32714 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 102

Form & Verdict
Stepping up to 1m2f worked a treat at the Newmarket July festival (good; 6lb higher today) and he wasn't disgraced when attempting a Listed race in France on latest outing; 3yo who could still have more to give.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(7)

29th Aug 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 2

14:15 Sandown

Involvement

10st 1lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: Simon & Ed Crisford

Won Meydan handicap (9.5f, good) in March but has been mostly treading water since, finishing last of eight in Group 3 at Goodwood four weeks ago; back down in grade but others still make more appeal.

20/1

8th

4

(6)

1st Aug 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 218y

Class 1

14:25 Goodwood

Involvement

9st 3lb

J: William Buick

T: Simon & Ed Crisford

Won Meydan handicap (9.5f, good) in March and ran well in defeat in Listed races on next two starts (including here over 1m2f); however, no match for Al Aasy in Listed race at Beverley (1m4f, good to firm) four weeks ago and others have more substance to their claims.

20/1

3rd

4

(3)

4th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 4f 23y

Class 1

16:02 Beverley

Involvement

9st 2lb

J: Oisin Orr

T: Simon & Ed Crisford

Very useful gelding who landed 9.5f handicap in Meydan in March; posted a good fourth in Goodwood Listed event in May but last of six in similar company there (1m4f) last month; needs to bounce back.

8/1

OUR TIP

4/1

Form: 364023 D

Last run: 16 days

W: 9st 12lb

7 yo Horse

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Seven wins in Europe; has lost all eight starts for current yard but mostly on the premises and he's been close up at Ascot (1m) and Windsor (1m2f; short of room) on last two outings; major player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

(6)

13th Jun 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:17 Sandown

Sean

9st 8lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Jamie Osborne

Useful on his day but has become inconsistent, latterly at Meydan, notwithstanding a January performance that's his sole win for current yard; the 9yo can be opposed back on British soil; tongue-tie fitted.

33/1

8th

6

(8)

5th Jul 2025

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 2

17:15 Sandown

Sean

9st 8lb

J: William Carver

T: Jamie Osborne

Useful weights turnaround with Flying Frontier on C&D form last August and also with Arabian Light from Meydan (1m1f) in February; however, some question marks about his form since and whether he really wants a stiff test at 1m2f has yet to be proved.

20/1

10

(23)

18th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

17:00 Ascot

Sean

9st 7lb

J: William Carver

T: Jamie Osborne

Record of 0-17 for current yard doesn't tell the whole story, as he's capable of very useful form; last few efforts don't augur well, however, and he came up short (finished 11th) in this race in 2024.

50/1

Form: 1/8-06

Last run: 21 days

W: 8st 13lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 95

Form & Verdict
Placed in 7f Group 3 as 2yo in 2022 for Aidan O'Brien, also winning a 1m maiden in the mud; only three races since, the most positive of which was his never-nearer, 6l sixth of nine in handicap at Newmarket (7f, good to firm) three weeks ago; needs much better than that and he was too headstrong on sole attempt at 1m2f, but there's class and stamina on the dam's side.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

(1)

28th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 0f 53y

Class 4

15:50 Leicester

Sierra Blanca

9st 10lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Martyn Meade

On a losing run but was only beaten 3l at Windsor last time (1m, good) and the winner went in again at Doncaster last weekend; handles this ground and should go well.

7/1

3

(1)

28th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 0f 53y

Class 4

15:50 Leicester

Sierra Blanca

9st 10lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Martyn Meade

On a losing run but was only beaten 3l at Windsor last time (1m, good) and the winner went in again at Doncaster last weekend; handles this ground and should go well.

7/1

1

(3)

8th Sep 2025

Soft

1m 0f 31y

Class 4

16:34 Windsor

Sierra Blanca

10st 4lb

J: Alec Voikhansky

T: Martyn Meade

Losing run is mounting up and couldn't take any positives out of this year's efforts.

25/1

Form: 14-166 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 8st 2lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 88

Form & Verdict
Carries his head high; only five races in total, including two wins (one here) and two heavy defeats (one here); ran creditably when sixth of nine in a Shergar Cup race at Ascot (1m4f, good to firm) on latest start, wearing a visor for the first time, and this lightly raced 3yo could have more to offer, but he is 3lb out of the handicap today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

21st Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

14:48 Fakenham

Dambuster

11st 2lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Olly Murphy

prominent, ridden when led narrowly approaching last, not fluent last, soon headed and no extra

11/10

2nd

1

21st Apr 2025

Good

2m 0f 3y

Class 4

14:48 Fakenham

Dambuster

11st 2lb

J: Kevin Brogan

T: Olly Murphy

prominent, pressed leader 2 out, ridden when led narrowly approaching last, not fluent last, soon headed and no extra

11/10

2nd

10

29th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 70y

Class 4

13:55 Stratford

Dambuster

10st 9lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Didn't always look straightforward for Andrew Balding for whom his form petered out; however, he won two of his eight races (1m/1m2f) for that yard and has joined another good one to go hurdling; bought for 20,000gns.

9/2

Non-runners

Wonder Legend

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £22.70
Straight Forecast £21.73
Trifecta £49.30

Selections

TOPSPEED:

Involvement

RP RATINGS:

Wonder Legend

SPOTLIGHT:

Sean

POSTDATA:

Balmacara

NEWMARKET:

Involvement

Telegraph:

Involvement

Daily Mail:

Involvement

Daily Mirror:

Involvement

The Sun:

Involvement

Daily Record:

Involvement

The Times:

Wonder Legend

The Guardian:

Wonder Legend

D Express:

Sean

The Star:

Sean