King Of Change To Turn Form Around At Sandown?

Saturday’s Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes was won by subsequent champion sprinter Harry Angel for Clive Cox back in 2016, and Richard Hannon’s Mystery Power is the 4/1 market leader despite dropping back in trip by a furlong and carrying a 3lbs penalty for his Group 2 success in the 7f Superlative Stakes.

Marcus Tregoning nominated the Mill Reef as the target for his Salisbury winner Impressor (8/1) and he would be the each way recommendation with the weather set fair.

Yarmouth (14.45) Fanny Logan

There is a listed contest at Yarmouth this afternoon and Fanny Logan (14.45) carries a 3lbs penalty for her recent Salisbury win in this grade on soft ground, is drawn out in the North Sea in stall 16, but still gets the vote. John Gosden’s filly has won her last couple of starts on different ground and would have been a confident selection had it not been for her poor draw. That said, Bighearted is a perennial front-runner and should ensure there is a decent gallop for the Gosden filly to chase.

Yarmouth (13.40) Restless Rose

In the opener, Restless Rose (13.40) has been knocking on the door of late and is taken to go one better this afternoon with talented apprentice Marco Ghiani taking off a valuable 7lbs. The selection won her sole previous start at Yarmouth from a similar mark last June and I will be disappointed if she doesn’t run another big race.

Yarmouth (16.20) Pinnata

Pinnata (16.20) finished runner up to a well-handicapped sort (Casanova) at Sandown last week and I hope he can go one better for the same Stuart Williams/Marco Ghiani Restless Rose combination. The three-year-old Rock The Cradle finished runner up at Windsor last time from a 2lbs lower mark, but this straight mile is likely to be more suitable.

Sandown (14.20) Byzantine Empire

Dettori doesn’t ride at Yarmouth but does go to Sandown and I expect to see Byzantine Empire (14.20) go one better than at Kempton when he lost his race at the start before staying on in eye-catching fashion to take second. The Golden Horn colt holds an entry in the Group 1 Vertem Security at Doncaster next month.

This looks a very hot Novice event though, with Stoute’s Heaven Forfend returning to the track for the first time since finishing within 7L of the outstanding Pinatubo in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot. He holds an entry in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week. Add Charlie Appleby’s Never Alone – promising third to stablemate Royal Crusade on debut – and this is promises to be a most informative juvenile contest.

Sandown (14.55) Palace Pier

Palace Pier (14.55) holds a Dewhurst entry and he is taken to make it two out of two for Gosden/Dettori in the 7f Novice event. The Kingman colt made a fluent winning debut here last month and is taken to land the odds before taking a step up in class.

*Nap* Sandown (15.25) King Of Change

The feature is the listed Mile contest and the three-year-olds Turgenev and King Of Change (15.25) should hold sway, with preference for the latter who has been off the track since finishing second in the 2000 Guineas back in the spring. That form has taken a good few knocks in the meantime, but Richard Hannon has always thought his Farhh colt was top-class.

Kelso (15.40) Newtown Boy

At Kelso, Newtown Boy (15.40) has his first start for Keith Dalgleish having left Alan King since unseating four out in a Market Rasen Novice Chase. The selection receives 12lbs from likely market leader Nietzsche who won the Greatwood Hurdle back in November and has already won twice over the larger obstacles.

Kelso (16.45) Exit To Where

In the 2m 5f Handicap Chase, I hope to see Exit To Where (16.45) improve on his third at Hexham last time when he may have done too much from the front over 3m. The slight drop back in trip should suit.