Neil Morrice: Sunday 23 August 2020 UK Best Bet Sunday

Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from Sunday’s racing coming your way from Sandown Park and Wolverhampton. 

Rerouted here from York in search of better ground, MAXIMAL has plenty going for him and should open his account. He led everywhere bar the post on debut at Newbury, and though the winner Guru blew out at Kempton last week it remains an eye taking performance from which he can progress, racing from a plum draw in stall 4. His stablemates My Swallow and Tawaareq are closely matched on home form, and are horses for later on, and if there’s one to trouble the selection it should be One Ruler.

This Group 3 Atalanta Stakes gives QUADRILATERAL a welcome class drop. An unbeaten Group 1 winner at two, she has performed with credit on both starts this year, finishing third to Love in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and occupying the same position behind Alpine Star in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. She meets nothing of that calibre in one of the day’s features and should make no mistake, with Moore in the irons for the first time.

Etonian created a favourable impression when converting on his debut at this course and sets the standard, but the more experienced DUBAI FOUNTAIN can have the legs of him in this Group 3 Solario Stakes. The selection was a well backed winner of his first two starts at Doncaster and Haydock before finishing second in a Listed race over this course and distance and filling the same placing to Star Of Emaraaty in a Group 3 at Newmarket. He’s developed into a battle hardened individual, and could know too much for Etonian at this stage.

Race 8 No4 CALCULATION

CALCULATION was transformed by the addition of a visor and reeled-off a hat-trick last summer. Not too much attention should be afforded to his disappointing comeback run when finishing last at Newmarket. That was back in early June, and he’s now showing his old sparkle. Key to his chance is his ability to lead, and if achieving that he’ll be hard to peg back.

 Although beaten a country mile by her stablemate Expedient at Windsor, HOLDING MY BREATH now gets the chance to step up in what looks a weak Classified. She’s far less exposed than her foes, and should benefit from this drop to the minimum distance.

Race 5 No7 PLATH (Nap)

The free going PLATH is yet to endorse the promise of her Kempton debut but could raise her game in this weak handicap. She’s competing at her optimum distance and more importantly has looked more settled in the hood she sports for the first time today.