Paul Ferguson has two selections for us on Thursday, both tonight at Sandown; Holberg (7.05) and Jan Vermeer (7.40). Compare odds
All eyes will be on last year’s Derby and Arc winner Workforce this evening at Sandown, but he is taken on with Jan Vermeer (7:40) who could well develop in to a top-class four-year-old over 1m2f and he can kick-off his season by landing the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes.
The Montjeu colt has 11½ lengths to find with Workforce on their Epsom running from last June, but the selection didn’t appear to stay 1m4f last term, while the market leader has yet to win over this trip.
In receipt of 7lbs, he may well have too much pace for Sir Michael Stoute’s charge, while there is also the option of backing him each-way as it will be very difficult to kick him out of the frame.
The first Group race on the card, the Henry II Stakes, can go the way of Holberg (7:05) who goes well fresh, having won first time out for the past two seasons.
A winner of the 2m Queen’s Vase when trained by Mark Johnston, the five-year-old is very much unexposed as a stayer and showed himself more than capable over middle-distances for Godolphin last season.
The son of Halling is currently third in the betting for the Ascot Gold Cup and needs to be winning this weak Group 2 if he is to give Fame And Glory and Rite Of Passage something to think about in three weeks time.
Thursday’s selections:
7:05 Sandown Holberg (2/1)
7:40 Sandown Jan Vermeer (11/2)
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