Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

SUMMER SANDS (best priced at 20/1) was a high-class two-year-old and showed glimpses of a return to form on his final start last season to make him look well handicapped enough to take a chance at a big price. The gelding finished a close 3rd in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes before winning the Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar in impressive fashion. He was sold for 625,000gns following that run and transferred to Joseph O’Brien but he struggled following that move and dropped all the way from a mark of 109 down to 95. 

Summer Sands returned to Richard Fahey late last year where he outran odds of 66/1 to finish 5th only beaten 3 ¾ lengths at Doncaster. The handicapper has dropped him 2lbs for that run down to a mark of 88 and following a whole winter at his old yard I think he is worth taking a chance on with four places on offer. 

The John & Thady Gosden trained NASHWA (best priced at 6/5) made an encouraging debut last season at Newmarket and she is expected to get off the mark on her second start. The daughter of Frankel was sent off 85/40 favourite for her debut but ran green in the early stages, had to wait for room at a crucial point and eventually stayed on in eyecatching fashion to take 3rd late on.

The form of that race could have worked out better but it was the visual impression that makes Nashwa the obvious selection in this race. The step up in trip from 7f to just short of a mile will suit her and it seems significant that she still holds an Oaks entry later this season. Her biggest danger could be her well bred stablemate Wonderful Times but this is her debut and I expect the more experienced Nashwa to get off the mark on her reappearance. 

Trainer Chris Wall has started this season in fantastic form with two winners and a third and I expect KINGMANIA (best priced at 10/3) to prove hard to beat on her reappearance. She won a maiden at Yarmouth before winning her first two starts in handicaps at Leicester and Doncaster. The four-year-old ended last season with a close 4th placed effort in a Newmarket handicap but she looks the type who can progress this season. 

Kingmania runs off the same mark of 86 which should make this lightly raced filly competitively handicapped and I expect her to prove hard to beat for her in-form yard.