Arabian Crown can get his preparations for the Betfred Derby off to the best possible start with victory in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown on Friday afternoon.
The Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old enjoyed a racecourse gallop at Newmarket last week under William Buick and is favoured to pick up where he left off last season with a hat-trick of wins.
He broke his maiden on soft ground at Sandown in July before landing the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury on good going the following month.
Last seen winning the Group Three Zetland Stakes cosily by five-and-a-half lengths from Aidan O’Brien’s Gasper De Lemos at Newmarket in October, he can fine tune his Classic credentials in Esher.
Nostrum can get back on track as he makes his seasonal debut in the bet365 Mile.
Last seen at York in August when finishing sixth of six in the Strensall Stakes, a line can be put through that run as he finished lame.
The Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old won his first two starts as a juvenile and went on to finish third in the Dewhurst before returning to the winner’s enclosure in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes on his belated return last July.
He was beaten by Epictetus in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood on testing ground before the run at York, but after a 244-day absence, he can return to his best under Ryan Moore at a course that suits front runners.
Flying Honours can return from nearly a year off the track with a win in the Group Three bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes.
The four-year-old ran just once last term when disappointing in the Dante Stakes, coming home last of 11 after missing the start and on ground that looked too quick for him.
Gelded during his lengthy break, Flying Honours should find the Sandown conditions more to his liking and he can help Buick and Appleby enjoy a successful afternoon.
Rocking Tree can complete a quickfire hat-trick for trainer George Boughey in the bet365 Esher Cup Handicap.
Stepping up in class, he can defy a 5lb rise in the weights for his front-running win over an extended mile at Wolverhampton last time.
That followed his triumph on debut for Boughey over seven furlongs at Dunstall Park and he is favoured to carry his form from the all-weather onto turf.
Matterhorn can get back on track in the Sun Trade Windows Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow for championship-chasing jockey Harry Cobden.
Beaten 66 lengths last time at Kempton when reportedly suffering a respiratory issue, he subsequently had wind surgery that can help him get back to the sort of form that saw him coast to a 16-length victory at Taunton earlier this season.
Stoke The Fire can earn Willie Mullins another winner on UK soil when the five-year-old crosses the Irish Sea for the first time in the AK Bets Chat To A Trader Novices’ Hurdle at Perth.
NAP
Arabian Crown (3.35 Sandown)
DOUBLE
Nostrum (3.00 Sandown)
TREBLE
Flying Honours (2.25 Sandown)
YANKEE
Rocking Tree (1.50 Sandown)
