DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17
3.35 SANDOWN
CHANTILLY LACE (best price 9-4) has been highly tried this season without much success but the combination of a drop in grade and soft ground provides her with the sort of respite that should enable her to shine.
A winner on heavy ground on her only outing as a juvenile, Ralph Beckett’s filly was thrown straight into the lion’s den when asked to take on top-class fillies in the 1000 Guineas back in May and although she came up short on the day, her performance was not entirely without promise.
The daughter of Lope De Vega went on to run a similar race in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and, as result of that effort, she was a warm order to return to winning ways in a Group 3 back at Berkshire venue last time out.
Unfortunately, having set a fast pace at the head of affairs, she got picked off by two who were ridden more conservatively and delivered out wide while she stuck towards the unfavoured part of the track on the inside.
More to the point, her yard is in much better form that in was mid-summer and on ground that will suit her better than most, she rates a strong choice to get her career back on track.
CHANTILLY LACE – 1-point win@9-4
4.10 SANDOWN
There are several in this fillies’ handicap who are difficult to assess, especially under today’s conditions, so the safest option might be to stick with LADY MARIKO (best price 11-4), who ran well here on soft ground on her latest start.
As is often the case, the daughter of Kameko was slowly at the Esher track five days ago and it meant she faced a difficult task trying to work her way back into the picture during the business end of the contest.
She did, however, manage to salvage some pride by finishing off her race well into a never-nearer third and in a slowly run race that wouldn’t have suited, her effort deserves extra merit.
Looking at her best career performances in victory and defeat, they have come about in races where there has been more emphasis on a stiffer examination and with today’s extra yardage seen as a help in that direction of travel, Dylan Cunha’s filly is fancied to score for the third time this season and end a barren little run for her stable.
LADY MARIKO – 1-point win@11-4