Sandy Lane Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

The Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park has been won by some fabulous horses since the race was upgraded to Group Two status a decade ago, with the likes of Quiet Reflection, Harry Angel, Hello Youmzain, Little Big Bear and Inisherin all returning victorious.

The last two winners of the race had previously been seen contesting the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and whilst there are no runners that fit that profile this time around, the race still looks to be a high-quality one.

Here is a guide to all ten runners.

Official Rating: 103. Best odds: 9-1. 

Kevin Ryan has won two of the last five renewals and saddles Ain’t Nobody this year. His sire Sands Of Mali won this by a nose in 2018 prior to finishing second in the Commonwealth Cup and winning the British Champions Sprint Stakes.

A talented two-year-old, he won on debut last May before landing the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot to take his record to two from two. He disappointed at the Newmarket July meeting, but put up a better account of himself in the Flying Childers on his final run of the season.

He returned to action with a solid third in the Group Three Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot last month but has work to do with the winner of that race, the re-opposing Big Mojo.

Official Rating: 111. Best odds: 9-2. 

A hugely consistent sprinter, he has yet to finish outside of the first four and only one has he finished outside of the first three in 12 starts.

He won twice last year and amongst his many top performances came placed efforts in the Phoenix Stakes over 6f, as well as the Norfolk Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over 5f.

A strong traveller that is likely to be up with the pace, he has had three starts this season and has won on two of them, with his only defeat coming when third behind Henri Matisse over 7f at Leopardstown. He was an easy winner of the Group Three Prix Sigy over five and a half at Chantilly last time out and looks set for another big run yet again.

Official Rating: 108. Best odds: 7-2.

Another very likeable performer, he is more lightly raced than Arizona Blaze, having has just six starts, winning two of them, but like his rival, is also yet to finish outside of the first four.

He broke his maiden tag at the second attempt by winning the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood last summer and creditable efforts followed in the Gimcrack, Flying Childers and when fourth at the Breeders’ Cup – just half a length behind Arizona Blaze.

He reappeared with a half-length success in the Commonwealth Cup Trial (Pavilion Stakes) at Ascot last month on what was also his first run since having a wind-op. Jason Hart rides for the first time here.

Official Rating: 99. Best odds: 40-1.

Richard Spencer had a 14-1 winner at the Dante meeting last week and has his string in good form but this colt will need a career best by some way to land this prize.

Last seen finishing sixth in the Commonwealth Cup Trial, he has four and a half lengths to find with Big Mojo based on that effort but had been progressing well at the end of his two-year-old campaign, racking up three wins on the bounce over 6f, ending with victory in the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar.

He may well go from the front again but it would be a surprise if one of the more fancied runners doesn’t reel him in.

Official Rating: 102. Best odds: 22-1.

The sprint programme for three-year-olds in Britain this time of year is fairly clear and, as such, this Charlie Johnston-trained colt is another to have contested the Commonwealth Cup Trial, where he finished eighth, four and three-quarter lengths behind Big Mojo.

Unlike Candy, this colt was stepping up in class as opposed to down at Ascot on his reappearance, as he had last been seen finishing third in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

That was a fine effort, but he was still beaten five and a half lengths by the winner Shadow Of Light, although only a length and a half by Whistlejacket.

Official Rating: 96. Best odds: 25-1.

This lightly-raced son of Hello Youmzain bolted up to win by four and a half lengths on his second start in September before dipping his toe into Group Three company, where he finished a very creditable third in the Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket.

He has not been seen since but has plenty of potential, although you can’t help but feel he will probably come on for this effort and his yard has not been in amongst the winners, for all James Tate still has a healthy enough strike-rate overall this season.

Official Rating: 106. Best odds: 11-2.

An even more lightly-raced colt, Richard Fahey’s son of Cotai Glory is unbeaten in two starts. He won on debut by five and a half lengths before landing the Mill Reef Stakes by a neck.

He is another that falls into the ‘could be anything’ category but the race he last won was a weak event for the level and he will definitely need to make a big improvement to land a blow in this.

Official Rating: 108. Best odds: 3-1.

It is a surprise to see this horse turned out so quickly after impressing when winning the Listed Carnavon Stakes at Newbury last Saturday, but he is a gelding and cannot run in the Commonwealth Cup, so options are more limited for Charlie Appleby than the nine other trainers with runners in this.

Before his last win, he shaped like a non-stayer when finishing sixth in the 7f King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket and 6f really is his trip, having won over this distance twice at Meydan in the winter and also as a juvenile.

He was sent off a 6/1 chance for the Coventry on his third start last year and was only beaten a length and a quarter. He is clearly well-regarded by connections and is race fit, but may need to improve again.

Official Rating: 105. Best odds: 20-1.

One of two fillies in the race, the daughter of Havana Grey caused an upset to win the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting last year and finished third in the Cheveley Park Stakes on her final run of the year.

Connections then ran her in the Nell Gwyn Stakes over 7f on her reappearance, presumably in an attempt to see whether she would be a Guineas contender, and although she ran well in fourth, she was then stepped back down to 6f to contest a Listed race at Chelmsford at the beginning of the month, but could only manage fifth.

Her Group Two victory remains her only win and this looks a tall order.

Official Rating: 99. Best odds: 12-1.

This well-bred filly could be a lively outsider. She continued William Haggas’s fine strike rate in Ireland when winning the Polonia Stakes at Cork two and a half weeks ago, a career best performance on her fifth start that saw her beat the likes of Grande Marques and Babouche, although the latter clearly needed the run.

She won two of her three starts last year too, with both wins over this trip and her only defeat coming in the 7f Oh So Sharp Stakes.

The only course and distance winner in this race, she will need to improve again and can be slow into stride but shapes as if improvement could be possible back here for her astute trainer.

A fascinating race with a mixture of proven Stakes performers and improvers with untapped potential. The vote goes to the Adrian Murray-trained ARIZONA BLAZE, who is available at 9-2 and just about has the best form in the book. William Haggas has won this with a filly before and I expect First Instinct to outrun her odds.

1 ARIZONA BLAZE. 2 FIRST INSTINCT. 3 SYMBOL OF HONOUR.