Ahead of the Jumps Finale on Saturday, our horse racing tipster gives three selections from the Friday action at Sandown Park.
Mia Harris win, Dark Vintage e/w (1.15pm)
A three-year-old filly out of Zoustar, Mia Harris won impressively over course and distance on her two-year-old debut. She followed that up to further reward backers by winning a listed race at Newbury, battling and staying on strongly to get up in the final strides.
She disappointed in two Group 3 races at the end of her two-year-old campaign but the yard and connections are very confident she has improved in the interim and will be a very successful three-year-old, returning to winning ways here.
If the going for the sprint course remains good, then Irish-bred Dark Vintage - who has previously been trained in America - could well be worth an e/w bet on British debut with bookmakers paying four places.
Royal Supremacy e/w (1.50pm)
A three-year-old colt, Royal Supremacy won a hotly contested maiden stakes race at this track on his two-year-old debut. He took the lead narrowly inside the final half a furlong and managed to fight off three rivals who have all won since.
He struggled next time out in soft conditions at Newbury, but put that performance behind him winning at Kempton Park six months ago, again taking the lead inside the final half a furlong and staying on well. He could prove to be the value play as long as conditions don’t go soft.
Nostrum (3pm)
Four-year-old colt Nostrum missed most of the season in his three-year-old campaign, but won his belated reappearance at Newmarket in a listed race very impressively when making all before being shaken up and driven in the final furlong to go clear of the field.
A second to Epictetus at Goodwood followed before coming last in his final outing at York. You can put a line through that performance, however, as he simply wasn’t right that day.
His ceiling and ability is of a Group 1 winner, but he hasn’t lived up to that yet. The yard remain confident of his ability and that he will live up to his pedigree now as a four-year-old. He can win this and use it as a stepping stone to bigger races with an eye on a possible Royal Ascot outing later in the year.
