TWITTER: @Sandownpark

SKY BET SUNDAY SERIES DATE: Sunday 21st August 2022

LOCATION: Sandown Park Racecourse, Portsmouth Road, Esher, KT10 9AJ

Opening in 1875, Sandown Park was the first purpose-built racecourse for leisure, charging an attendance fee (of at least half a crown) to spectators. Sandown was also the first course in England to have a dedicated members’ enclosure. Flat or jumps, Sandown Park has been the backdrop to a whole host of legendary races featuring an array of household names – trainers, jockeys, and horses.

Close to the capital, Sandown has always been a hugely popular venue, and that is perfectly illustrated by the fact that the Queen Mother nominated Sandown as her favourite racecourse. Although briefly requisitioned by the War Department (1940-1945) during the Second World War, Sandown Park has functioned as a racecourse for fast-approaching 150 years. Notable Flat races include the Classic Trial (April), the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (May), the Eclipse Stakes (July) plus the Atalanta and the Solario Stakes (August).

Sandown Park is a right-handed galloping oval circuit of 1m5f, with a four-furlong uphill run-in. Down the centre resides a separate diagonal 5f sprint track which also features a steady rise to the finish. On soft ground on the round course, the jockeys often elect to tack over towards the stands’ side rail.

John Gosden has saddled 21 winners (from ninety runners; 23%) at Sandown Park over the last five years, with Andrew Balding (21-150; 14%) and Richard Hannon (20-171; 12%) in proximity.

Thady Gosden joined his father John on the training licence prior to the 2021 season, and the new combination were responsible for nine Sandown Park winners (from thirty-seven runners; 24%) over the duration of the season. The exceptional Palace Pier justified odds-on favouritism in the Group 2 Bet 365 Mile. Mostahdaf was a dual Listed winner (Heron Stakes and Fortune Stakes), while current 1,000 Guineas favourite Inspiral took the Listed Star Stakes. Mishriff’s defeat in the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes - at the hands of the abundantly talented St Mark’s Basilica - was a rare setback for team Gosden.

Charlie Appleby (6-17; 35%) and William Haggas (6-18; 33%) were other names to note, while the Scottish handler Jim Goldie (3-4; 75%; +£24.50) enjoyed various successful forays south with Euchen Glen (Brigadier Gerard Stakes and Gala Stakes) and Be Proud (Sky Bet Sunday Series Sprint Handicap).

“I’m not a regular visitor to Sandown, in fact Jacob Black (ridden by Frankie Dettori) is my sole winner from only a handful of runners. However, I used to really enjoy riding there back in the day. Sandown is a track where you can have a fair bit of success from the front, assuming that you are able to stack them up around the bend. Obviously, given the stiff uphill finish, it is important to preserve extra for the closing stages.”

Oisin Murphy and William Buick have dominated at Sandown Park in recent years. The current British Flat Champion Murphy (10-45; 22%) was the top rider at the track in 2021.

With Murphy sidelined through suspension in 2022, both Tom Marquand (8-25; 32%; £38.70 last year) and William Buick (6-27; 22% last year) will no doubt harbour hopes of further success. Buick (26-115; 23%) will also have the ideal opportunity to close in on Murphy’s five-year Sandown Park tally of 36-202 (18%). Ryan Moore (pictured) (25-115; 22% last five years) will be spending much of his time riding in Ireland for Aidan O’Brien.

“Sandown has been such a lucky track for me over the years, what with Judicial winning a Group race in 2018, and of course Euchen Glen. With such a stiff finish you can take the opportunity to ride a bit of a waiting race, as I did with Euchen Glen in last year’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes. Even with such a small field there was a good gallop on in that race. As with Haydock, the ground conditions can sometimes become very testing, and that’s when the jockeys elect to shun the inside rail in favour of coming middle to stands’ side.”

Euchen Glen (Jim Goldie) and Mostahdaf (John and Thady Gosden) were unbeaten in two starts at Sandown Park in 2021, with Farasi Lane (2-3 for Tom Ward) and Crema Inglesa (2-3 for Jamie Osborne) sporting healthy 66% strike-rates.

Historically, raw ability has so often come to the fore at Sandown Park. The exceptional Palace Pier is a perfect 3-3, while classy stablemate Too Darn Hot (2-2) and the dual Gordon Richard Stakes hero Crystal Ocean (Sir Michael Stoute) were also unbeaten in Esher. Others with slightly less ability, but a clear liking for Sandown Park include Kurious (3-4 for Henry Candy) and Andaleep (3-8; 38% for Graeme McPherson).

William Buick was the jockey to follow at the second Sky Bet Sunday Series fixture of the year (August 22nd). Commencing with a winner in Godolphin blue (King Of Conquest), the Norwegian born rider soon doubled-up on Jim Goldie’s Be Proud before later completing the treble on Oceanline (watch above). Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy was seen at his absolute best in the saddle, propelling the favourite Amazonian Dream forward for a narrow win in the 5f nursery.

The veteran Sheriff Hutton handler Mick Easterby – now operating as a dual licensee with son David – paid for the travelling expenses by supplying Yorkshire Lady as an appropriately named 15-2 winner of the 1m1f fillies’ handicap. Elsewhere, Marco Botti saddled a winner courtesy of Silver Gunn (11-1) and the Sandown regular Farsi Lane (2-3 at the track during 2021) was successful in the finale for Tom Ward and Tom Marquand.