There’s a good-looking card at Sandown on Wednesday, with the Listed Fortune Stakes the feature race on the card.
Last year’s winner Mostahdaf has since won a trio of Group 3’s – could we see another star come out of the race?
Bayside Boy has already gone close in Group 1’s, so could he be the answer dropping in to Listed company?
Find out who we’re siding with in our 1-2-3 prediction for the race ↓
1st – Bayside Boy
Roger Varian is in red-hot form already this month (10 winners from 33 runners in September) and he looks to have a fantastic chance of landing another winner with BAYSIDE BOY, who drops into Listed company for the first time in over a year.
Having won a Group 2 and two runner-up efforts in Group 1 company in his debut season, he made his seasonal reappearance with a disappointing effort in the French 2000 Guineas, before an improved effort in the St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He only finished seventh that day, but had his path blocked on multiple occasions and still only finished a couple of lengths behind the winner Coroebus.
He then dropped into Group 3 company in the Thoroughbred Stakes, where he never really travelled all that well and ended up comfortably beaten back in fourth. He had Ryan Moore on board that day and he didn’t seem to get on well with him. He’s got William Buick on board this time, and that is a MAJOR boost to his chances, with the way he’s been riding all year.
This will be a first trip to Sandown for him but considering the quality of races he’s been competing in, this drop in to Listed company should make this a worthwhile trip. Bayside Boy is the highest rated horse in the line up and receives weight from all his major rivals, if he doesn’t win this connections should be worried!
2nd – Sinjaari
Harry & Roger Charlton have their string in excellent form (4 winners from last 14 runners), and they can finish best of the rest behind Bayside Boy with SINJAARI. He drops in class after finishing third in the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes last time out and that should see him finish one better here.
He had Escobar way back in ninth when winning over C&D in the summer, and the runner-up (Checkandchallenge) has since won a Group 3 over in France to boost that form. He then had a nightmare run in the Golden Mile Handicap at Glorious Goodwood, where he stumbled and constantly had his run blocked, so that run can be easily forgiven.
There hasn’t been long to see how the form of his third in the Sovereign Stakes will out, but the winner (Tempus) followed up by winning a Group 3 in France, and the runner-up Modern News had previously finished comfortably clear of Magical Morning in the Listed Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract.
He may not be able to handle giving weight to Bayside Boy, but he should certainly be best of the rest.
3rd – Magical Morning
MAGICAL MORNING tends to run well in smaller fields and is capable of landing minor honours in this. His record when racing in fields of 13 or less reads 611582115 (4-9), compared to 8020300 (0-7) in fields of 14 or more. There’s just seven runners in this so he can be seen to best effect.
The two runs he’s had in small fields this year have resulted in a cosy win at Doncaster, followed by a disappointing fifth in Listed company at Pontefract last time out. He’s been given a break since that race so should be raring to go in this.
Frankie Dettori has been booked for a ride and that’s a positive to his chances. The top jockey has been on board for three of the horses four wins, plus both runner-up finishes, so we’re glad the Gosden/Dettori sabbatical is over!
He may not be up to winning this race, giving weight to a horse as talented as Bayside Boy, but he’s certainly good enough to be in the mix. He won on his sole visit here, but was receiving 4lb from Escobar that day and they meet off equal weights this time, so we expect those placings to reverse here.