With City Of Troy impossible to oppose in the Eclipse Stakes, Desperate Hero is napped to complete a step up in the class in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown
DANCING GEMINI is crying out to be backed at 13-8 in William Hill’s ‘without City Of Troy’ market on the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse (3.35) at Sandown Park today.
It will rank as one of the shocks of the summer if Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old, the brilliant winner of the Betfred Derby at Epsom five weeks ago, doesn’t follow up in the 10-furlong clash of the generations.
But you’ll have to shovel plenty on at 1-3 and, in the book that doesn’t include the favourite, Dancing Gemini is the call.
His two-year-old form suggested Roger Teal’s son of Camelot would take high rank during his Classic campaign.
And Dancing Gemini ran a cracker on his return to action in the French 2,000 Guineas, Longchamp’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains, in May, steaming home for a half-length second to Metropolitan.
Teal was understandably tempted to go for the Derby and Dancing Gemini looked sure to get involved when making his ground at the top of Epsom’s straight, only for his stamina to empty close home.
His sixth, over eight lengths behind City Of Troy, makes revenge a tall order, but the step back to a mile and a quarter is the right move and Kieran Shoemark’s mount looks sure to give a good account.
DESPERATE HERO is fancied to negotiate the step up in class for the Group 3 Coral Charge (1.50) at Sandown Park this afternoon.
The four-year-old’s five victories for Jack Channon – Desperate Hero’s first win came in a novice stakes for the trainer’s father, Mick – have all been in the handicap sphere.
But the evidence of handicap scores on his last two outings suggests that Captain Gerrard’s son is ready for a new challenge.
On the back of a return-to-the-fray sixth at Bath in April, Desperate Hero got the better of King’s Lynn by a neck at Goodwood at the start of the following month.
Today’s jockey Callum Rodriguez was on board for the first time as Desperate Hero faced 14 rivals at Hamilton Park eight days later and the combination romped away for a four-and-a-half-length humbling of American Affair.
The rise into Pattern company should hold no terrors for a horse who still has more to give.
He just missed out over course and distance three weeks ago, but CLASSIC is capable of going one better in the Coral Challenge (2.25).
A neck separated the Richard Hannon-saddled son of Dubawi from Two Tempting and it will be close between the pair on the back of a 1lb turnaround in the weights.
But Classic, whose dam Date With Destiny was the only progeny of George Washington, didn’t get the breaks that day and can gain his revenge.
Royal Ascot heroine Soprano heads the betting for the Listed Coral Distaff (3.00) but the favourite will have her work cut out to cope with Andrew Balding’s improving CLOVE HITCH, an all-the-way, eight-length winner at Newbury last time out.
At Haydock Park, TIFFANY is expected to continue her upward curve by capturing the Group 2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks (2.40).
Last Friday, Sir Mark Prescott’s daughter of Farhh beat Darnation by two and a half lengths for the Group 3 Hoppings Stakes at Newcastle, and both Tiffany’s pedigree and style of running suggest a first attempt at a mile and a half will trigger another personal best.
The bet365 Old Newton Cup Handicap (3.15) looks typically wide-open but EPIC POET gets the nod to make it third time lucky in the hands of David O’Meara after a second to Crystal Black in Royal Ascot’s Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap 15 days ago.
SANDOWN PARK
1.15 PITNEY
1.50 DESPERATE HERO (NAP)
2.25 CLASSIC
3.00 CLOVE HITCH
3.35 CITY OF TROY
4.12 SUN GOD
4.47 PERSICA
HAYDOCK PARK
1.30 DUE FOR LUCK
2.05 WILD WAVES
2.40 TIFFANY
3.15 EPIC POET (NB)
3.50 SHAZANI
4.25 BILLYJOH
5.00 LOVE BILLY BOY
BEVERLEY
1.40 EL BURHAN
2.15 RAJETERIAT
2.50 STASH THE CASH
3.25 GOLDEN MYRRH
4.00 GOD OF FIRE
4.35 LITTLE VENICE
NAAS
2.10 LUNIGIANA
2.45 RED EVOLUTION
3.20 UN BACIO ANCORA
3.55 MAGICAL VISION
4.30 SWAGMAN
5.05 CHICAGO FIREBALL
5.40 TYDER
LEICESTER
4.05 ADDICTIVE
4.40 WALK THE MOON
5.15 HARRY DID
5.53 KING OF CHARM
6.25 CONNIE’S ROSE
6.55 KALAMA SUNRISE
BELLEWSTOWN
4.53 CHARMING STAR
5.28 WHERE’S MY JET
5.58 REDWOOD QUEEN
6.30 COTTESLOE SUNSHINE
7.00 KALAROUN
7.30 HYPERSONIC MISSILE
8.00 GETAWAY CHARLIE
8.30 JACKSON LAMB
NOTTINGHAM
5.35 GERT LUSH
6.10 YES I’M MALI
6.40 JENEVER
7.10 RAY VONN
7.40 GLOBAL ASSET
8.10 FORTNUM
8.40 RUSSIAN RUMOUR
CARLISLE
5.48 GISELLES IZZY
6.18 LINE OF FORCE
6.48 GOLDEN RAINBOW
7.20 KITTY FURNIVAL
7.50 ISLA BELLA
8.20 BARLEY
8.50 SHAHNAZ
DOUBLE: DESPERATE HERO and EPIC POET