Placepot picks: oppose Soprano at Sandown?

We're off to Sandown for this weekend's Tote Placepot and there's no doubting the main attraction as City of Troy is set to contest the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse and will take on his elders for first time in doing so.

Am I going to play him as a Placepot banker? Find out below! I've got a perm consisting of 64 lines (two selections in each race) to consider. Best of luck with whatever you're playing on Saturday.

Firstly, punters are advised to take note of the ground conditions through Friday's racing at Sandown, as the early rain on Friday added 'Soft' in places having been quite quick earlier in the week.

So, with the scene set, I'll start with recent course-and-distance scorer Spanish Blaze in the opening contest. I thought that was a really warm race when he was successful here last month and with only a 4lb rise, it's hard to see him out of the frame if arriving in the same form and on similar ground.

Storm Star is also interesting further down the betting. It was always going to be a stiff ask to defy a penalty against well-touted rivals at Kempton last time out and this stiff seven furlongs should suit ideally. On handicap debut, he could be let in lightly from an opening mark of 83.

A good turnout in the Group 3 Coral Charge in leg two and I'll be looking to take on Live In The Dream, who again takes a position at the top of the market despite last year's Nunthorpe winner disappointing at Haydock last time out. In fairness, he tried to force the pace into a strong headwind that day, so there are excuses, but I think it'll another tricky assignment here when trying to get over from stall nine and I'm not convinced a stiff five furlongs is what he wants, either.

Both he and Desperate Hero should contribute to a frenetic pace and while this could force a pace collapse in the closing stages, it is hard to shrug the manner in which the latter won at Hamilton last time out, powering on from the front to win going away. That was a bit of a bolt from the blue so he needs to back it up again, but is clearly thriving at present and is drawn well to take prime position in the early stages.

As mentioned, this could suit a closer and one of which is last year's runner-up, Makarova, and she's been on the upgrade since dropping to this trip at the start of last season. She's comfortable in this grade now, is drawn well and won't have any issues with any further softening of the ground.

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Perotto took the Coral Challenge in good style from a mark of 94 last year and returns from an 8lb higher mark as the gelding looks to go back-to-back for trainer Roger Varian. 

He made a pleasing comeback when third in the Royal Hunt Cup on seasonal reappearance and should naturally come on for that outing, which is always very strong form. For context, he'd only finished tenth in the same Royal Ascot race prior to victory here 12 months ago. He's got rock-solid place claims here and I just can't leave him out for Placepot purposes.

This a supremely competitive handicap, though, so I make no apologies for doubling up and I'll take course specialist Dual Identity to bolster my Placepot. The six-year-old's record here reads: '5-1-2-1-1-3' with the final two form figures coming in his last two appearances, so he is clearly in fine fettle at present and also enjoys a bit of ease underfoot.

The fillies and mares get the chance to shine here in the Listed Coral Distaff and I think this is another race where the favourite has to be opposed. In all fairness to Soprano, she was a ready winner at Royal Ascot last time out but this is a completely different task on a stiffer track and slower ground.

Indelible is 9lb worse off for her defeat to Soprano in the Sandringham but did all she could by winning the race on her side of the track and she very much remains one to follow and I can see her reversing form here with no such bias at play. Of course, she has to overcome the swing in the weights but had looked every inch a Pattern performer in the making at Doncaster previously and has no issues on softer ground.

Regal Jubilee arrives having taken a different path so far in her brief career to this point, avoiding handicaps and racing exclusively in stakes races since graduating from novice company as a juvenile. She's scored at this level at Newmarket last season and already finished placed at Listed and Group 3 level so far this term. She's not the biggest but should remain competitive here with this track likely to suit.

The feature Group 1 Coral-Eclipse takes us into leg five and it was really disappointing to see the defection of White Birch earlier in the week, especially with the rain arriving subsequently. It would've been a fascinating tussle against City Of Troy but hopefully they will get to compete against each other later in the season.

With White Birch out, it does look to be a relatively straightforward task for Aidan O'Brien's Derby winner, who drops back in trip here having bypassed a tilt at the Irish Derby at The Curragh, a race which saw his Epsom form consolidated by Los Angeles and Ambiente Friendly.

City Of Troy should win on all known form and is priced accordingly at odds-on. However, just in case of another Guineas-style mishap, I'll take Dancing Gemini as Placepot insurance. He was a blatant non-stayer at Epsom, enduring a troubled passage on top of that and is best judged on his excellent second in the French Guineas prior to that. He's a high-class colt and I expect him to be in the frame regardless of the favourite's performance.

A tricky finale with a competitive three-year-old handicap to close things out in the Placepot.

Midnight Rumble has shown improved form for being gelded this season and produced a career-best effort to win at Lingfield for Alan King last time out. There's a 6lb rise to contend with here back on the turf but he remains progressive and Dylan Browne McMonagle is a fascinating jockey booking.

Sun God has been gelded since last seen when finishing a good second at Newmarket on seasonal reappearance, and perhaps that can eke out further improvement from Hughie Morrison's charge. He rounded off his campaign last season with a commanding victory over this trip and should have more to offer, particularly with that Newmarket form holding up well in the meantime.