Sandown best bet: Testing conditions tailor-made for improving Hiromichi
- John Fearn
- 23 May 2024
If the early market is a reliable yardstick, then Crack Shot looks to be the one to beat here after marking a promising three-year-old season with two tidy victories over this one-mile distance.
20:42 Sandown: Horse Kick Cider Whitsun Cup Handicap (1 mile)
Ed Walker’s four-year-old hit the ground running this term when landing a 16-runner handicap at Newmarket 19 days ago, and appears to be gearing up towards another successful campaign.
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That progress is likely to be challenged from several quarters here, not least James Horton’s Navagio, who will relish the rain-affected conditions under the notable presence of Ryan Moore, while Dual Identity, Dragon Icon and Classic should also have their say in proceedings.
Gaining traction among Tipstrr’s each-way specialists, however, is Jack Channon’s ever-improving six-year-old, Hiromichi, who has won three of his last five outings either side of his five-month winter break.
Suggested best bet: Hiromichi each-way in the 20:42 at Sandown
As is his usual process, his reappearance came on an all-weather surface, with his 1¾-length success at Lingfield providing the springboard for repeat success on his season turf debut at Ripon when last seen 26 days ago.
He finished a length clear of the reopposing Regheeb that day, when the heavy ground should stand him in good stead for Catterick’s similar testing conditions on Thursday afternoon.
Hiromichi is upped four pounds for this, but the handicapper does not appear to have caught up with his potential just yet, and with Channon’s yard in good form and Rossa Ryan in the saddle, they can be expected to give another good account here.
- Tip advised by KensFlat on Tipstrr
READ MORE: Sandown racing tips: Best bets for Thursday May 23
