Western Hymn looms large in Sandown Classic Trial; Telescope returns

Western Hymn looms large in Sandown Classic Trial;

Telescope returns

John Gosden has hit the ground running this Flat turf season, and the

unbeaten Western Hymn puts his Epsom Derby credentials on the line for

Clarehaven Stables in Friday's Group 3 Sandown Classic Trial.

Impressive over a mile on debut on Kempton's Polytrack in December and in an

often-informative Newbury conditions event over 10 furlongs April 11, Robin

Geffen and Rachel Hood's exciting prospect will be a warm order to provide a

seventh renewal for his conditioner.

"It's a while since a Derby winner came out of the race, but I gather it was

hot in the seventies and eighties when Troy, Henbit, Shergar and Shahrastani

were successful," jockey William Buick wrote in his

attheraces.com blog Thursday.

"I'm hoping that Western Hymn is the horse that's going to put the race back

in the spotlight and I have no doubts he has the ability to do it. I loved

everything he did at Newbury last time, when he showed himself to be very

amenable then produce a good turn of pace when I asked for it. He's taken plenty

from that race and has done well since. The track should be fine, a marginally

stiffer mile and a quarter to the one at Newbury and it looks as though there

will be some juice in the ground, too, which he likes. He's a horse with a lot

of potential and all I want him to do is keep showing it."

At the other end of the spectrum is Ron Hull, David Brown and Clive Watson's

Royal Lodge third Sir Jack Layden, who has an exposed look but who could have an

edge after returning from a spell in Dubai when eighth in the March 29 U.A.E.

Derby on the Tapeta, while another like Western Hymn with untapped potential is

Weston Brook Farm's Lingfield conditions winner Impulsive Moment, a son of

Galileo and the classy Luas Line.

Earlier on the card, onetime Derby hope Telescope opens his four-year-old

campaign in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes. Sir Michael Stoute has used this

about 1 1/4-mile test as a springboard for his returning older stars in waiting

and been successful a record seven times thanks to the exploits of the likes of

Singspiel, Ask and Tartan Bearer.

One of Freemason Lodge's most vaunted prospects of recent times, Telescope

disappointingly missed out on the Classics in 2013 but looked ready to make up

for lost time when winning the Great Voltigeur at York in August. Subsequently

meeting with the latest in a series of setbacks and being put on the shelf for

the remainder of the season, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's great hope has the

operation's Managing Director Harry Herbert excited as he starts on a clean

slate.

"Sir Michael is very happy with him and we're thrilled to see him back," he

told PA Sport. "He's so well that there's a good chance he'll need the run, he's

had proper blows after the last two pieces of work. He's had a good break and

this is a race Sir Michael likes to start off in, so hopefully he's in for a

good season."

His chief rival appears to be Godolphin's Sky Hunter, whose sole defeat for

Andre Fabre came when third in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly in June. His

only subsequent outing resulted in a workmanlike first black-type success in the

Prix Frederic de Lagrange over 12 furlongs at Vichy the following month and he

is one of the most intriguing recruits for the boys in blue.

"Sky Hunter is doing very well," trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented. "He is a

horse I like and has been working really nicely. A mile and a quarter will be

fine for him, although he will improve for his first appearance since last

year."

If the unexposed pair fail to ignite, Khalid Abdullah's Noble Mission could

step in, but the string of Group-race placings which include a latest second in

Newbury's John Porter on April 12 are beginning to stack up and Frankel's

brother may not be the most resolute in a finish.

Former handicapper-turned-Group 1 performer Top Notch Tonto, an unlikely hero

in 2013, is back for Friday's Group 2 Sandown Mile as he bids to heap further

glory on the quietly-respected but internationally-insignificant Brian Ellison

stable.

Having taken care of the four-year-old halfway through last term, the

Northern conditioner managed to conjure a win in Haydock's Superior Mile and a

second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Ascot's Champions' Day from the

flashy chestnut.

"It will be an interesting race and we're looking forward to getting him

started," Ellison told PA Sport. "I'm sure he'll improve a lot for the run --

we're getting him ready for the Lockinge (at Newbury May 17) -- but he's plenty

done and seems in good form. He looks a million dollars at the moment and we

just want to see him pick up where he left off."

Richard Hannon Sr. struck gold seven times since 2004, and his son's duo are

last year's winner Trumpet Major and jockey Richard Hughes' choice, Montiridge.

The latter, who races for Mitaab Abdullah, registered two listed wins and a

Group 3 in the Thoroughbred Stakes over this trip at Glorious Goodwood in August

and signed off with a second to Soft Falling Rain in Newmarket's Joel Stakes in

September.

"Montiridge has won at Sandown in the soft, but Top Notch Tonto, whom I

consider our biggest danger, is at his element in these conditions, so I would

not mind if we saw some improvement in the ground as the better it is the more

it would lessen his chance," Hannon said. "In contrast, our fellow goes on any

ground. He has the class -- he was beaten a head in the Jersey Stakes at Royal

Ascot and there was no disgrace in being beaten by Soft Falling Rain in the Joel

Stakes at Newmarket at the back-end -- so he has to be a major player."

Last year's Lennox winner Garswood is another with major claims for David

Armstrong and Cheveley Park Stud, based on his latest third behind the

established class acts Moonlight Cloud and Gordon Lord Byron in Longchamp's Prix

de la Foret over seven furlongs at Longchamp, but he has stamina to prove.

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