Nick Luck
Nick Luck’s William Hill Blog: Sandown and Newmarket Best Bets
William Hill ambassador Nick Luck is on hand with his best bets from Eclipse Day at Sandown as well as three picks from the rescheduled fixture from Haydock Park at Newmarket’s July Course.
Saturday, Sandown Park
I’m going to take a shot on a huge each-way price in Luna A Inbhir Nis for the Charge (1:50pm) at 25/1 or bigger. She’s well drawn with a lot of of gate speed and can easily make up all against the far rail. She was on the wrong side at Ayr last time on ground that was too soft for her, and she comes here with better ground in her favour. She’s got the best of the draw with all the fancies out wide; she might just be difficult to peg back or at least cling on for some of the minor money. At those odds she makes plenty of appeal.
River King is my selection for the Challenge Handicap (2:25). He’s one of two in the race that could be given a chance by trainer Richard Hannon, the other being last year’s winner Classic. River King is a horse who has the perfect run style for this race, he should get out near the lead from a good draw. Sandown is a place where, if you are well drawn, you don’t want to be too far away from the speed, particularly over a mile. He is still progressive and ran an excellent race at Royal Ascot last time out, so River King is sure to give a bold sighter from the front.
Sacred Ground is the pick in the Distaff (3:00pm) at Sandown. I have been a little bit disappointed with her and Pacific Mission this season, but I think there are strong claims for her to bounce back here. Firstly, she gets Ryan Moore onboard, secondly, she gets some headgear, and thirdly she gets a drop back in distance to a mile. The combined effect of all those things should bring about a better performance, and I can see her controlling this race.
A rather unimaginative pick but it is hard to look past Constitution River in the Eclipse (3:35pm). It is not just because he won the Prix du Jockey Club last time, but the way he stopped the clock as he did in the Dee Stakes at Chester. There’s a suspicion that he might not want the ground too fast, but Sandown is a forgiving place in that respect. I’d be disappointed if he couldn’t continue his relentless progress and prove himself the best of this very strong clutch of Ballydoyle three-year-olds. His stable companion, Hawk Mountain, might give him the most to think about while Saddadd is also a decent choice to finish in the top three.
Saturday, Newmarket
Over at Newmarket, Lopeo can take the first of three televised races (2:05pm) at the July Course as they take over from the action originally intended for Haydock Park. One of two in the race for the same owners, this is the choice of Hector Crouch, who might have had some significant engagement at Sandown had he opted to go to the Esher venue. That is a tip in itself, but Lopeo is an unexposed, progressive horse that still figures to improve over this distance. You could argue that he was too far out of his ground at Doncaster last time in a tempo-led affair and he’s certainly worth another chance in a race like this with that handicap mark.
Lava Stream is the pick in the rescheduled Lancashire Oaks (2:40pm). This is a mare who missed an entire season, but she’s shaped up quite promisingly on both her runs back, suggesting that she is ready to strike. 10f was too short the first time, then 14f the next time was probably a little bit too far, and now you could make a strong case to say that this is her goldilocks distance. With that in mind, with the front of the market not sure to appreciate conditions, she’s worth an each-way play at double-figure odds.
Claymore is my pick in the Old Newton Cup (3:15pm). He’s made one visit to the July Course and he won, and admittedly that was a less competitive handicap than this one, but he comes here in good heart with a fluent victory at Windsor last time out. You might want him to have fewer pounds on his back, but you must remember that he was a bonafide stakes-class horse in his youth, and he might just be finding that figure again. Silvestre de Sousa is a massively underrated rider even though he’s been champion jockey multiple times, and he showed just how effective he was from the front last week at York, and I think he can do so again here.
