PLAY IT AGAIN SAAM!
Varian’s gelding can justify the long trek up to Newcastle for top jockey Crowley
Mutasaamy (3.25) has a terrific chance of landing the odds at Newcastle.
Roger Varian’s charge was the biggest disappointment of the entire day when the sport resumed after lockdown on June 1.
Hotly fancied at Gosforth Park, Mutasaamy looked as though he should still have been stuck indoors with a dismal effort.
It was costly for punters as he trundled home eighth when an odds- on jolly but things have improved since.
Mutasaamy managed to get back to form with a subsequent win at Kempton before finishing a close sixth in the ultra-competitive Coral Challenge at Sandown.
He has been dropped a pound for that display and that has him lurking dangerously at the bottom of the weights for today’s 10 furlong handicap on the sands of Tyneside.
Varian’s horses are running perfectly respectably at the moment and the fact Jim Crowley is hauling himself up the A1 to take the ride for his gaffer Hamdan Al Maktoum is significant.
GLEN SHIEL (2.25) is returning to these shores after a cracking effort when runner-up in a Group 3 at Deauville.
Prior to that trip across the English Channel, the six-year-old was a comfortable winner round here at the end of June and he returns with a huge chance.
He faces some tough rivals with the likes of Jash for the Crisford team but his form is rock-solid and there is not a trainer in the country in better form than Archie Watson.
Jockey Paul Mulrennan has also been flying and Glen Shiel looks a value option, especially if you nab an each-way price with the dead eight scheduled to line-up.
MUSICALITY (4.10) can have his rivals dancing to his sweet tune down at Leicester. The sprinter moves into handicap company for the first time and has found an excellent opportunity to strike.
Musicality was a terrific winner on his previous outing in novice company here and Roger Varian has chosen to stay at the same track for the switch to a new sphere.
The course looked to suit when having both recent starts and the opening handicap mark of 86 looks fair enough against just four rivals. Varian had an option to send his charge to Goodwood over the past week but the fact he has chosen to target this race speaks volumes.
Musicality won’t be a huge price but anything odds-against looks worth taking.
The stalls will open in Esher as Sandown stages a trappy card and CALATRAVA (2.20) is interesting in the three-year-old handicap.
Ralph Beckett’s kid has run into second spot on her previous two starts and this appears a winnable opportunity.
Calatrava’s second to Sea Trout Reach at Windsor doesn’t look anything special but she sustained a cut leg during the event and is worth a crack if fully recovered.
MOLINARI (3.20) is the most attractive bet on the card with James Doyle in the saddle.
The three-year-old has relished front-running tactics this term with four excellent efforts which have brought a win and two places.
Sandown is the type of track where these aggressive tactics can pay dividends and he is a strong contender in the nine-furlong event for trainer William Muir.
Lightly-raced Calatrava can be a cut above for Beckett on handicap bow at Sandown