Prairie Could Relish Return To Sandown

Autumn Tonic ran an absolute stinker for us earlier this week, fading badly in the last couple of furlongs. He didn't come anywhere near replicating his previous run, and he is one to tread carefully with in the future. Today the best of the action comes from Sandown and Wincanton, and I think Prairie Town could outrun his odds in the lucky last at the former track.

Tony Carroll is a shrewd operator. 

This 6yo son of High Chaparral is in the care of shrewd handler Tony Carroll, and he has shown some of his best form over course and distance. Three runs here have yielded a win and a second, and his only poor effort at Sandown came in the ultra competitive Imperial Cup last March. He was poor last time out at Doncaster, but the trip of 19.5f was a valid excuse for that effort.

He is much better judged on his penultimate run here when less than 2L behind Poker School and 8L ahead of the rest off a mark of 125. Poker School has gone on to win two of his next three runs over fences and, when you consider that Prairie Town was conceding 10lb to the Ian Williams horse, it looks an excellent effort in hindsight. The handicapper raised him to 129 for that effort, but he has been dropped to 127 after his poor run last time at Doncaster.

Lee Edwards keeps the ride, and he has won over 30 races when riding for Carroll in the last 5 seasons. Prairie Town's last run in a class 2 contest came at Cheltenham in January, and he was a good 4th on heavy ground (17f) off 129. I think that shows that he is more than capable of making an impact off his current mark of 127 in this company and, with trip and track sure to suit, he is worth backing each way at the generous looking odds of 25/1.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.35 SANDOWN-PRAIRIE TOWN E/W 25/1