ITV Racing Tips: Friday Picks for Sandown & Perth

The Owen Burrows-trained MIAHARRIS (best price 9/2) should be difficult to beat in the Bet365 Handicap. This filly won her first couple of starts last season, including over course and distance on her debut by nearly four lengths, before following up in a listed race on her next start. 

She wasn’t at her best in a Group 3 race next time out when she was a never-nearer eighth, but she looked a bit unlucky not to finish closer at that same level at Newmarket next time out. That was the first time she encountered soft ground, and if she encountered a completely clear passage, I have no doubt that she would have made the frame. 

This is easier, as she will be making her handicap debut with a mark of 94, with William Buick booked to ride. She goes well fresh; she is the only course winner on the field, and she should get the ideal setup to be delivered late. Her late-finishing kick could be too much for these. 

The form of Serried Ranks’ victory at Goodwood is very strong, but he lacks consistency, and I’ll take a chance on SHAGRAAN (best price 6/1) to get himself involved on his stable debut for Mick Appleby. 

He was highly tested in his final three starts last year after winning at Windsor, and although he couldn’t make an impact in each of those, this is a drop in grade, and Silvestre De Sousa will take to the saddle. 

His only previous start over this trip saw him finish a well-held sixth in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, but the better ground will be favourable for him this time around, and I’m optimistic he has the credentials to go well. 

COGITATE (best price 9/2) couldn’t get to grips with the unbeaten Night Raider when he finished on his return last month, but the winner looks a pattern-class horse in the making, and an opening handicap debut mark of 95 could prove lenient for Charlie Hill’s charge. 

This three-year-old won a very hot novice stakes race at Newbury on his debut last season, beating Boiling Point by two lengths. He went on to place in a Group 3 race later in the season, and being open to further improvement by stepping up in distance, he should go well.

In the Highland National at Perth, I really like the chances of TOM CODY (best price 10/1). The eight-year-old seems to have been missed in the market given his price tag, but it was a career-best performance at Carlisle last time out, and he is very interesting over this longer distance.

I was visually impressed with the way he cruised through his race last time out under a confident Brian Hughes ride. Considering he made a significant mistake at the last fence, he did extremely well under the circumstances to rally and score comfortably by a length. 

He had no right to recover so quickly in the manner he did, yet he still got the job done, and the handicapper has only raised his mark by 3Ib, which I think is fair. He was value for much more than the winning margin indicated. 

Okeechobee ran really well when second on his reappearance behind Dubai Honour and is open to improvement. However, he’s still rated 7Ib lower than the top-rated ISRAR (best price 3/1), who must have an excellent chance on these terms. 

John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old raised his game last year, finishing runner-up in Group 2 and Group 3 races before defeating former Epsom Derby winner Adayar in a Group 2 race at Newmarket. That is by far the best piece of work in this field. 

He was below his best when down the field in Qatar on his return, but that should have taken the edge off him, and he holds a fitness edge over most of these. He will be fitted with first-time blinkers, which should help, and if he can run to his rating over this shorter trip, he should succeed. 

A quality field of seven goes to post for the Bet365 Mile. Lord North came under scrutiny given all of his achievements and the fact that William Buick is booked to ride. However, his last couple of performances haven’t been that good, and preference goes to Roger Varian’s CHARYN (best price 11/4). 

This ultra-tough miler made the frame in three Group 1 races last season, such as the 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, and the Sussex Stakes. The form of his third in the latter race has worked out well with the second, Facteur Cheval, subsequently winning the Dubai Turf in Meydan. 

He recently made the most of an ease in grade when successfully collecting a listed race at Doncaster, where he travelled well and stayed on strongly to score by three and a half lengths. He was allowed to be eased down in the closing stages, and that marked him down as a horse going places. 

The plan is for him to compete in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes after this, so if that assignment is to materialise, he needs to be going close to winning this race. This stiff finish will play to his strengths, and I think he’s a massive player with Silvestre De Sousa retained to ride. 

Arabian Crown might prove impossible to beat in the bet365 Classic Trial, but REMAADD (best price 9/1) looks overpriced and could give the favourite the most to think about. 

William Haggas’ promising youngster shaped promisingly when he finished a staying-on second on his debut before confirming that initial promise to return a very easy winner at Goodwood next time out.

He then stepped up in class to contest a listed race at Haydock and did very well to virtually finish upsides the reopposing Macduff. I loved the way he kept on resolutely after being headed, and he’s open to improvement. 

The return to going this way around will actually suit him better, along with the step up in trip, and his form puts him right in the mix. His odds seem too big in relation to Macduff’s price, so he gets my each-way vote.