20:40 Sandown

Thursday 29 May 2025

All18:0518:3519:0519:3520:0520:40

starsports.bet Whitsun Cup Handicap

Off time: 20:40 | Winning time: 1m 43.47s

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(2)

Smart Hero^h⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: C Lee| T: J Tate| OR: 94

14/1

Latest win at Wolverhampton in February. 12/1, twelfth of 14 in handicap at Newcastle (10.2f) 41 days ago. Down in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 495-110

(13)

Whip Cracker^p1²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: R L Moore| T: R Hughes| OR: 94

5/1

Shaped well when length fourth of 12 in the Lincoln Trial on Wolverhampton (8.6f) reappearance. Hasn't backed that up twice since but there was an excuse at Thirsk last time (caught too far back. First-time cheekpieces and Ryan Moore back in the saddle are potential positives but stall 13 isn't.

Form: 034-409

(4)

Hafeet Alain¹⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Jack Doughty⁽³⁾| T: E Walker| OR: 92| D

12/1

Ended last year with a below-par effort but he has dropped to 3 lb below that mark he defied on his 2024 reappearance. Good overall record fresh and has to enter the reckoning.

Form: 944467-

(7)

Sierra Blanca^p1²²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: S De Sousa| T: M Meade| OR: 91| D

18/1

Ended 2024 with a good second over 1m at Haydock (heavy) in first-time blinkers. Cheekpieces are the headgear of choice on return. No great record fresh.

Form: 8/06592-

(1)

Golden Ocean²³²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Oisin Murphy| T: D Menuisier| OR: 91| D

11/2

On the up with wins in 1m maiden and handicap at Navan for Michael O'Callaghan last autumn. Returns for a new yard as a lightly raced 4-y-o who should have more to offer and Oisin Murphy has been booked.

Form: 4511-

(10)

Hickory¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Saffie Osborne| T: J A Osborne| OR: 90

7/1

Snapped a long losing run when getting up on the line in 7f Victoria Cup at Ascot (firm) on reappearance for new yard 19 days ago. Should remain competitive up 4 lb but below par on his previous attempt over 1m.

Form: 87802-1

(6)

Miletus³⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Watson| T: C Hills| OR: 89| D

28/1

Winner of 1m Windsor novice on heavy in May 2024 but well beaten in the Golden Gates at Royal Ascot 6 weeks later and not seen since. Returns as an unexposed 4-y-o but a watching brief is the percentage call.

Form: 5/810-

(12)

Surrey Shadow⁶¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: N Callan| T: Tom Clover| OR: 88

4/1

Made the frame in 3 turf novices last year prior to winning one on his 7f Southwell return in February. Bettered that form with excellent fourth of 21 in Spring Mile at Doncaster (1m, good) the following month. Surely more to come from this lightly raced sort.

Form: 243-14

(3)

Crack Shot²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: W Buick| T: D & C Kubler| OR: 86| D

10/3

Useful sort who made an encouraging return for his new yard at Kempton (1m) last month but ran no sort of race at Newmarket 4 weeks later (reported to have lost his action). William Buick rides again.

Form: 0057-30

(8)

Arkhalia Flynn^h²²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: George Bass| T: J Channon| OR: 84| D

11/1

Progressed into a useful performer at 3, winning 3 times in handicaps. The very good form of the Jack Channon yard this spring provides the hope that he could go on to even better things in 2025. Interesting runner.

Form: 311225-

(5)

Atlantic Gamble¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Hollie Doyle| T: W J Knight| OR: 82| D

28/1

A big success story in handicaps last season. winning 6 times, but down the field at Kempton and Newcastle this spring.

Form: 1311-00

(11)

I Still Have Faith^h³¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Callum Shepherd| T: B Brookhouse| OR: 82| D

40/1

Won 4 times on Flat (also successful in a juvenile hurdle) in 2023. Also a good second at Nottingham on 2024 reappearance but 2 lesser efforts followed and he has a 10-month absence to overcome.

Form: 112/206-

Non-Runners

(9)

Alpha Crucis⁶¹

Weight: 9-8| Age: 5

T: G & J Moore J: Hector Crouch

Forecasts

Crack Shot (10/3), Surrey Shadow (4/1), Whip Cracker (5/1), Golden Ocean (11/2), Hickory (7/1), Alpha Crucis (10/1), Arkhalia Flynn (11/1), Hafeet Alain (12/1), Smart Hero (14/1), Sierra Blanca (18/1), Atlantic Gamble (28/1), Miletus (28/1), I Still Have Faith (40/1)

Jack Channon has enjoyed a very good first half of 2025 so it might be worth chancing that ARKHALIA FLYNN picks up where he left off on the back of a strong 3-y-o campaign. Stall 12 could be tricky but the unexposed Surrey Shadow still rates a threat after his promising handicap debut in the Spring Mile at Doncaster. Hafeet Alain, who has a good record fresh, and David Menuisier's new recruit Golden Ocean complete the shortlist.