Flat racing takes center stage at Sandown Park for Bet365 Friday. The card includes several high quality races, including the Bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes which sees the return of Telescope. Other horses to watch include Contributor, Sky Hunter, and Garswood in the Bet365 Mile. The Bet365 Classic Trial is headlined by the unbeaten Western Hymn.

1. Flat takes centre stage at Bet365 Friday
at Sandown Park

2. The Jump season is drawing to a close and the Flat season is
ramping up and the Bet365 meeting at Sandown Park has a
great mix of both over the next two days. Saturday’s Bet365
Jump Finale really is Jump racing’s end of term party,
particularly with the Bet365 Celebration Chase, run for the
first time as a Grade 1.
But for the Flat fans, Bet365 Friday is now a card of high quality
flat racing – and it has some interesting contests as well as
the Richard Hughes’s first rides since his fall in Dubai. These
are the horses that I am looking foward to seeing on course
this afternoon.

3. The Bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes features the seasonal
return of Sir Michael Stoute’s Telescope. One time
favourite for the Derby, Telescope was 2nd in the Rose
of Lancaster at Haydock Park and winner of the Great
Voltigeur at York in a season that was blighted by
injury. Fragile but a horse that is still unexposed and
while connections feel he will need the run, hopefully this
is the start of a season where he can show how talented
he is.

4. Also running is Contributor, winner of the Listed Magnolia
Stakes at Kempton Park at the end of March. This will
give him a definite race fitness advantage. Godophin’s
Sky Hunter has his first run in this country after
switching from André Fabre, for whom he was third in
the Prix de Jockey Club at Chantilly.

5. In the Bet365 Mile, Garswood was a winner first time out
last season at Newmarket and went on to post
respectable performances at Pattern level including a
3rd to Moonlight Cloud and Gordon Lord Byron in his
last outing at Longchamp in the Qatar Prix De La Foret.
Montiridge, Richard Hughes’ mount, was second in the
Nayef Joel Stakes at Newmarket, however he was
previously beaten at Haydock in the Betfred Superior
Mile by the flashy chestnut, Top Notch Tonto.

6. You can never discount Brian Ellison who has a good track
record of raiding races at our courses. With his big
white face and stockings, (Top Notch, not Brian) he
defied expectation to sneak second at British Champions
Day in the Queen Elizabeth II stakes and will be a
popular runner with the crowds.

7. In the Bet365 Classic Trial, the market will probably
headed by the unbeaten Western Hymn (currently 4th
favourite for the Investec Derby) for the in form John
Gosden and William Buick who won on his debut on the
All Weather at Kempton. He also won 14 days ago at
Newbury and so won’t lack for fitness.

8. Thank you for reading!
Resources:
http://betsfreebets.com/review/bet365-casino/
http://going.thejockeyclub.co.uk/we-are-racing/bet365-
friday-sandown-park/