Sandown stages high-class racing today with a sevenrace card featuring a Group Two event, a Group Three and a competitive all-aged handicap over a mile. The speedsters take centre stage in the Group Two Tripleprint Temple Stakes and this fivefurlong dash has attracted some of the leading contenders for sprint honours this season.
Compton Place, who put up what was arguably the best performance by a sprinter last season when running away with the July Cup at Newmarket, has a great chance despite his Group One penalty.
He disappointed on his only subsequent start in the Nunthorpe Stakes on soft ground at York. However, he will have conditions in his favour here and, if anywhere near his best, will take all the beating.
Likely favourite Elnadim is the obvious danger having run a race full of promise when second to Bollin Joanne at York on his reappearance and he could go to the top of the sprinting tree but may be better suited by six furlongs.
The three-year-old Lord Kintyre is an interesting contender but may have to wait until later in the season before he gets the chance to land a contest such as this.
Therefore, side with Compton Place, who is proven in the highest grade, to arrive late off a fast pace to take the £50,000-added prize. Persian Punch can register back to back wins in the Group Three Bonusprint Henry II Stakes over two miles. David Elsworth's smart stayer, who beat subsequent Gold Cup winner Celeric in last year's race, has returned better than ever this time with a victory in the Sagaro Stakes and a close third in the Yorkshire Cup to his credit.
Sure to be well supported in the ring, this game performer can reward his followers with victory here.
The Doubleprint Whitsun Cup is always a keenly-contested affair and this year's renewal is no exception. The For Your Eyes Only from Tim Easterby's in-form yard looks worth an interest with Labeq the main danger.
The day's best bet is at Redcar where Captain Scott can take the 10-furlong Zetland Gold Cup following two encouraging efforts over a mile this term.
The Jeremy Glover-trained four-year-old made an eye-catching reappearance at Pontefract in April when keeping on well to finish sixth, beaten under five lengths behind Dispol Diamond after finding trouble in running.
On the strength of that run he was sent off a well-backed favourite at Thirsk two weeks later but found the trip on the sharp side and finished a two-and-a-quarter length third to High Spirits, keeping on well without being able to get in a blow to the leaders.
His jockey that day suggested a return to a mile and a quarter - a distance the gelding won over last year - would be beneficial and Captain Scott, who is sure to be at peak fitness, is napped to open his account for the year in this £15,000-added contest.
