Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap Tips (Race 2)
Sandown Value Bet - Race 2 No. 2 Brilliant Horizon
There were excuses for the January 18 failure on the Sandown Lakeside circuit, where Brilliant Horizon pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia and was subsequently spelled.
Off two nice maiden jump-outs, we were with the daughter of Impending at her June 3 resumption, where she was heavily backed and bolted in, leading throughout on a Heavy 8 surface.
Perhaps wet ground is the key to this filly, given her impressive debut triumph was recorded on a Soft 6.
There was also good form around her Mornington outing on December 17 when second-up in her summer preparation, an event she arguably should have won.
That race was taken out by Esmahli, a Sydney winner at her next start, while Torsheen was third and has since won three times, the last two at metropolitan level, while also placing behind the very smart Point Barrow in Group 2 company in March.
Sportsbet Fixed Odds Exotics Handicap Tips (Race 4)
Sandown Best Bet - Race 4 No. 2 Clevor Trever
Spelled after breaking through at Seymour in February, Clevor Trever completed a double with his Bendigo resumption in a strong Class 1 on May 13.
He then made it a hat-trick when taking out a Saturday three-year-old handicap at Caulfield on May 30, where importantly he ticked the heavy-track box in the process.
Although up in the weights from that latest performance, the gelding still appeared to have a bit in hand and remains against his own age group.
You could also argue it was a stronger race given the prior form lines through Bel Mezyaan, a galloper who was runner-up at Listed level in May behind the flying Gold Coast Belle.
Billy Egan returns aboard Clevor Trever for the in-form Patrick Payne stable, and he is striking at better than 35% for the yard this season.
Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Tips (Race 6)
Sandown Next Best Bet - Race 6 No. 15 Cicala
An interesting acceptor for Saturday's Sandown program is Cicala, who resumes from injury and naturally comes with an element of risk.
However, she is clearly pleasing Adelaide trainer Will Clarken, who opted against a Murray Bridge assignment in his home state to come here.
This is not a strong Benchmark 84 contest, and class was evident throughout a long and extended first campaign, with the mare winning four of five starts.
All of those victories came on rain-affected ground, including a stakes success on a Heavy 10 when reeling in Fieldelo late, a galloper who subsequently brought strong Melbourne form.
Cicala caught the eye when winning her latest trial at Morphettville, while talented young jockey Lachlan Neindorf has the fresh engagement.
Quayclean Handicap Tips (Race 8)
Sandown Favourite - Race 8 No. 4 Gilded Water
This Ciaron Maher-trained import produced an absolute shocker as a beaten favourite here on May 23.
That resumption looked far too bad to be true and there were genuine excuses, with EIPH detected post-race.
Connections are happy to push on with Gilded Water, who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II and is now owned by King Charles III.
There are spring targets in mind, particularly with Cups ambitions on the agenda, and he was his own worst enemy when trying to qualify for the Melbourne Cup last spring after over-racing in the Bart Cummings, yet still finished third.
That campaign culminated with a runner-up finish as a beaten favourite in the Geelong Cup, and Saturday should provide a much clearer guide in what is a slightly weaker race than his first-up assignment.
Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap Tips (Race 9)
Sandown Value Bet - Race 9 No. 2 Sought After
Having found comfortably his weakest Australian assignment so far at Murray Bridge on May 23, Sought After looked a silly price when sent around at $8.
He landed the cash for us there, with the Moody and Coleman-trained galloper recording the fastest last 200m of the entire program.
That victory should bring confidence back across the border for the son of Tivaci.
While he had excuses in his first two autumn appearances, including a luckless Caulfield return in April, he contested much stronger races earlier in his Australian campaign.
He was also competitive in very good company in New Zealand, including a fourth placing in The Kiwi against multiple Group-class gallopers, and while a Heavy track remains an unknown, he does not find a vintage affair on Saturday and the 3kg claim gets him in well.