In theory Pythagoras is up for the Challenge
WILLIAM Haggas has won the last two runnings of the Coral Challenge (2.25pm) and he will be hoping to land the hat-trick with last year’s winner Montatham.
The son of Showcasing arrived here 12 months ago on the back of a fine second to Dark Vision in the Royal Hunt Cup.
He got his revenge on that rival in this, only by a short-head, but is now 9lbs higher in the handicap which is going to be a tough ask, despite Adam Farragher taking 5lbs off.
A classy individual, he has to be respected, but my eye is drawn to Richard Fahey’s PYTHAGORAS down the other end of the weights.
Thought good enough to contest the Group Two Dante Stakes at York in May, he could only finish sixth behind Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane.
Last time out he travelled well for a long way in the 1m2f Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot before running out of gas in the final furlong.
He looks to be crying out for the drop back to a mile and has a nice draw in three to get into a handy position.
In the last 10 years only one horse has won this from a double figure stall.
I think it was a combination of the ground and trip which stretched him at Ascot and he should go very well at around the 8/1 mark each-way getting the three-year-old allowance.
For those of you looking to play the World Pool Quinella (first and second in any order), I would put him in with the David O’Meara pair of Orbaan and Escobar, as well as Hugo Palmer’s Acquitted.
Orbaan wasn’t beaten far in the Lincoln on his reappearance, while Escobar is a standing dish in races like this.
Acquitted ran a cracker at Chelmsford last time and still looks to have some mileage in his handicap mark.
In the Coral Proud To Support British Racing Handicap (4.10pm) Mark Johnston has booked Frankie Dettori for DREAM WITH ME which looks an interesting play.
The four-year-old son of Frankel had won three of his four starts this term before getting involved in a pace duel at Epsom on Cazoo Oaks day last time.
The combination of ground, tactics and track didn’t suit, so I would certainly be prepared to give him another chance.
Prior to that he had a very progressive profile and he looks a decent each-way option at around the 10/1 mark.
POINTERS
Pythagoras e/w 2.25pm Sandown
Quinella: Pythagoras, Acquitted, Orbaan, Escobar
Dream With Me e/w 4.10pm Sandown