Alex Scott's Thursday tips: 10-1 chance can score at Sandown

Popular stayer Sweet William can make it two wins from as many starts at Sandown in the first Group race of the evening, the Star Sports Henry II Stakes.

A winner of this race in 2024, the seven-year-old has arguably posted career-best efforts on his last two runs, finishing second to the top-class Trawlerman in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot and then returning to the same track with a gutsy win in the Sagaro Stakes four weeks ago.

The runner-up Caballo De Mar has subsequnelty won a strong renewal of the Group One Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in France.

A similar effort to that here should be good enough and he get his ideal trip and conditions. There are also enough doubts surrounding his main market rivals to think his current odds of even-money are simply too big.

Charlie Appleby has three runners in the Listed Star Sports Heron Stakes over a mile, plus John and Thady Gosden’s colt Yazin must have a big chance, but at double-figure odds, the battle-hardened Andab looks the value play for Joseph O’Brien, with Oisin Murphy taking over in the saddle.

The son of Saxon Warrior was a huge eyecatcher last time at the Curragh where he had no luck in running, yet still finished second, and the Aidan O’Brien-trained winner has subsequently scored at Group level.

Andab’s back form is up there with the best in this race too, having chased home the likes of Zavateri, Rayif and Dorset in Pattern races last summer. At 10-1, he looks well worth backing each-way and ticks plenty of boxes.

The odds-on favourite in this race could be absolutely anything having won by 12 lengths in a Newcastle novice last time, but that was eight months ago and his readiness for this assignment against better rivals who are also race-fit has to be taken on trust. He will have to be good to defy an opening mark of 95 on his turf debut.

From a 9lb lower mark, the consistent Richard Hannon-trained Boyfriend makes appeal at 6-1. He has been dropped 1lb for a very creditable run at Newbury on his reappearance in the Spring Cup when only beaten three and three-quarter lengths by the winner in a big field, and that should have him spot on for this.

He improved from his first run of the season last year (behind Group performer My Cloud) to win second time up off this very mark, plus his trainer has started the season strongly and is operating at a better strike rate than the previous few seasons. Boyfriend can have a big say in proceedings here and can give the market leader plenty to think about.