Nick Luck’s blog: Kerdos the Perfect Play in Bullet

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck casts his expert eye over Saturday’s racing from Sandown, Beverley and Chester.

Sandown, Saturday

LYNDON B can get things off to a good start at Sandown in the Class 3 seven-furlong handicap (1:50pm). With his mark slipping to 85 despite running solid enough races at Newbury and Newmarket, he’s a danger if things fall right. He likes to pass horses late in the day, which can often be frustrating when the gaps don’t open, but he’s sure to pop up one day and his price of 6/1 is appealing.

After a good month to freshen up following her fifth in Listed company, when she was sent off the 16/5 favourite, QUEEN FOR YOU is worth giving another chance to in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes (2:25pm). On the evidence of that latest effort at York, I’m going to suggest she didn’t see out the extended 10 furlongs and is of interest dropping back in trip. She ran well enough over this trip at Royal Ascot to not be disgraced in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes and could go close now in calmer waters at 13/2.

LORD PROTECTOR is worth a go at 11/2 in the Class 2 1m2f handicap (3:00pm) for the red-hot combo of Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan, particularly with Extra Places available. He finished a good sixth in one of the hottest handicaps of the week at Glorious Goodwood, the Chesterfield Cup, and is given another chance off the same mark. His form at Sandown reads 121, with the second coming when beaten just a neck, and there’s every chance he can add another ‘1’ to his tally.

Lastly from the Esher venue, AABLAN can hopefully get the Boys In Blue firing again in the Group 3 Solario Stakes (3:38pm). It hasn’t been a vintage summer for Charlie Appleby, but a strike rate of 33% in the last 14 days isn’t to be sniffed at and this son of Dubawi could be a good one. He won the same Newmarket maiden as Modern Games on his racecourse debut and is bred to be pretty special. 7/2 looks a decent price in what isn’t an overly deep renewal.

Beverley, Saturday

PERFECT PLAY looks the play in the opener from Beverley (2:05pm). Charlie Johnston’s runner went close over 10 furlongs here back in May and has been a tad frustrating at times since, when also pipped at Redcar and Ripon. His form on tight tracks like this one is evident and he looks well drawn to go to the front from stall five. This step up in trip could be just what he needs after seeming to get outpaced last time. At around 5/1, he should go well.

KERDOS is the pick in the Beverley Bullet (2:40pm) at 4/1. Clive Cox has won this for the last two years with Tis Marvellous and is shooting for a hattrick, but I fancy his stablemate could be the one to upset the applecart. This three-year-old has developed into a smart sprinter in only eight starts, and just missed out in a fiercely competitive five-furlong heat at Royal Ascot. Usually held up, he’ll need a bit of luck to come from behind at this tight venue, but the pace will be strong and if it collapses, then I can see this improving type pouncing late on.

Chester, Saturday

BOARDMAN rarely runs a bad race at Chester, with three of his eight career wins coming on the Roodee, and he looks to have a good chance at 8/1 of adding to that tally in the seven-furlong opener today (1:35pm). Tim Easterby’s seven-year-old won over this course and distance in May off only three pounds lower and should have his ideal conditions, with a good draw in gate six and the ground expected to be on the soft side of good.

LONE EAGLE goes in Chester’s feature event, the Listed Chester Stakes (3:20pm). This horse always promised to be top-class, and he has started to revive since switching to Ralph Beckett’s this season. Had the Gold Cup been run over two miles, he would have been a real threat at the finish, but he found the extra half-mile beyond him. Back at this trip, at a track we know he goes well at having finished second in the Ormonde Stakes earlier in the year, he looks value at 10/3 against a favourite that is very much priced on potential rather than what he’s shown to date.