Racecards
13:50 Sandown Park
bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 1m 2f 7y
- Going: Good to Soft (Good in places, Soft in places on Home Bend)
- Surface: Turf
- £65,000 added
- Winner: £36,862
- 2nd: £13,975
- 3rd: £6,994
- 4th: £3,484
- Form 291011-
- Age 4
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 111
held up last, ridden 2f out, headway over 1f out, chasing leaders when not much room and squeezed through inside final furlong, stayed on to lead final 100 yards, soon clear
Ayrad (IRE)
251- Form 38/5145-
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer H & R Charlton
- Jockey Andrea Atzeni
chased leaders, headway on outside 3f out, every chance 2f out, ridden still pressing leaders over 1f out, 3rd and one pace inside final furlong
- Form 12850-4
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer B R Millman
- Jockey F Tylicki
held up in 5th, headway over 2f out, presssing leaders 2f out, soon ridden, unable to quicken over 1f out, kept on same pace inside final furlong
- Form 72-1311
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer W J Haggas
- Jockey P Cosgrave
soon led, stayed on inside rail in straight, ridden 2f out, soon headed, weakened over 1f out
- Form 242393-
- Age 6
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer B Ellison
- Jockey B A Curtis
took keen hold, held up in last pair, ridden and not quicken over 2f out, no progress after
- Form 576-553
- Age 8
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 111
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey J Fortune
tracked leaders, pushed along 3f out, every chance 2f out, soon 2nd, ridden pressing leaders over 1f out, kept on same pace inside final furlong
- Form 44/1133-
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer J & T Gosden
- Jockey L Dettori
led early, mostly tracked leader after, raced awkwardly witn head to one side 4f out, closed to challenge 3f out, led 2f out, driven inside final furlong, headed and no extra final 100 yards
Verdict
Frankie steered WESTERN HYMN to victory in this on last year's reappearance and a repeat looks in the offing. John Gosden's charge beat Postponed last term and looks to have a slightly easier task this time round. Tullius could only manage fourth last year but beat Top Notch Tonto in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes on the Knavesmire in July. Ayrad was last of five in the 2015 running but went on to win a Listed race over 1m4f at Goodwood while Master Carpenter's only win last season came in the John Smith's Cup at York. My Dream Boat steps up to 1m2f for the first time having ended last year with a Group 3 win over a mile in France while Our Channel notched-up his first pattern success with victory in a Listed race over today's trip at Kempton last month.
Formwatch
My Dream Boat (IRE) 17-2 (8-12) won at Saint-Cloud 1m Grp 3 stks hvy in Nov beating Momayyaz (8-10) by 1 1/2l, 12 ran.
Ayrad (IRE) 11-2 (9-5) Chased leaders, effort over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 6, 13 3/4l behind Agent Murphy (9-5) at Newbury 1m 5f Grp 3 stks (1) gs in Aug.
Master Carpenter (IRE) 8-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, effort over 2f out, no impression approaching final furlong, last of 4, 6l behind Belardo (9-0) at Doncaster 1m lst stks (1) sft in Apr.
Our Channel (USA) 11-4fav (9-0) Tracked leader, ridden to join leader over 1f out, fought out with 2nd until asserted final strides, won at Kempton 1m 2f lst stks (1) pol in Mar beating Noble Gift (9-0) by nk, 8 ran.
Top Notch Tonto (IRE) 5-2 (9-7) Tracked leaders, ridden to challenge over 1f out, every chance entering final furlong, no extra closing stages, 3rd of 6, 3l behind Restorer (8-13) at Newmarket 1m 2f lst stks (1) sft in Oct.
Tullius (IRE) 8-1 (8-13) Held up, pushed along 2f out, headway when carried head high over 1f out, ran on to go 3rd near finish, 3rd of 9, 2 3/4l behind Mahsoob (8-13) at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gs in Apr.
Western Hymn 10-1 (9-7) Tracked leading pair 2f, 3rd again and hung right 4f out, pushed along and unable to match pace of leading duo 2f out, edged left under pressure over 1f out, edged right inside final furlong, kept on for 3rd but no chance with leading duo, 3rd of 5, 8l behind Golden Horn (8-10) at Sandown 1m 2f Grp 1 (1) gf in Jul.