Varian hoping to see the best of Bayside Boy at Sandown

Former classy juvenile has yet to hit his top stride this term.

Roger Varian is banking on a bit of cut in the ground to help Bayside Boy get back to winning ways in the Listed Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown on Wednesday.

A Group Two winner in the Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old, he possesses some high-class juvenile form having finished third behind both Native Trail and Luxembourg in end of season Group Ones last term.

However, things have not gone completely to plan at three and he is still waiting to add to his tally almost one year on from downing one-time Derby hope Reach For The Moon on Town Moor.

Having raced on fast ground in his last two starts and with the pick of his form coming when soft appears in the going description, the Carlburg Stables handler is relishing the chance to try the son of New Bay on an easier surface – and has also reached for a pair of first-time blinkers to assist the mount of William Buick.

Bayside Boy and David Egan (left) get the better of Reach For The Moon and Frankie Dettori to come home and win the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last year
Bayside Boy and David Egan (left) get the better of Reach For The Moon and Frankie Dettori to come home and win the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last year (Mike Egerton/PA)

“We are looking forward to giving the horse a chance to get his toe in,” said Varian.

“He’s been running on good to firm ground and I think a bit of cut in the ground and blinkers will just help bring out the best in him.

“It’s a competitive Listed race, but he was a very good two-year-old and has some very good back form and hopefully we can get him back on track.”

David O’Meara saddles Escobar, who has runner-up to Mostahdaf in this race 12 months ago, and has seen the form of his recent third to Jadoomi in Goodwood’s Celebration Mile franked by the winner in the Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

David O'Meara's Escobar runs in the Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown on Wednesday
David O’Meara’s Escobar runs in the Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown on Wednesday (Clint Hughes/PA)

“He’s gone fine in the slow ground before and some of his runs down at Sandown have been good,” said O’Meara.

“He’s been second there a good few times, so he won’t mind the track and he’s in good form. The horse that won at Goodwood won in Ireland and hopefully he will run well, he likes the track.”

In a race packed with course regulars John and Thady Gosden’s Magical Morning and Harry and Roger Charlton’s Sinjaari are both track and trip winners to note and could enjoy returning to the Esher venue, while Andrew Balding’s Auria landed the Listed Coral Distaff over course and distance earlier this summer.

The field is rounded off by William Haggas’ Sweet Believer and Sheena West’s hat-trick seeking Sly Madam, who steps out of handicap company to run at Listed level for the first time. –

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