Horse Racing: Ithinkbest will give punters food for thought at Sandown

SIR MICHAEL STOUTE holds strong claims in the Derby on Saturday with Workforce and can enjoy a good night at Sandown tomorrow, with Ithinkbest looking to get back to winning ways.

The King's Best gelding had only one run as a juvenile and it took him five more outings the year afterwards before he finally broke his maiden.

His initial success at Pontefract over a mile did not suggest he was anything out of the ordinary. As a result he was allowed to be sent off at 12-1 for his next start at Wolverhampton but with his confidence boosted he landed a handicap off a mark of 84.

Having started this season 4lb higher his first run was lamentable, he put up no show at all in a decent event at Headquarters but last time out he looked back to his old self.

Ithinkbest may have been beaten five lengths by Walter Swinburn's Flora Trevelyan but that one looks like taking in Group races soon so it was a fine effort.

He can score off the same mark in the Drivers Jonas Deloitte Handicap.

Lay Claim is another from Freemason Lodge who should be on the scoresheet in the OCM Capital Markets Handicap.

Stoute can make it a treble with Direct Answer in the Spar Maiden Stakes.

He was narrowly beaten by a Godolphin newcomer on debut but he can be considered unlucky as that rival interfered with him, causing the jockey to pick up a three-day ban.

Eric Alston certainly knows how to handle a sprinter and in King Of Eden he has one in top form.

Winner of two of his last three races, he is out under a 6lb penalty in the Sodexho Stop Hunger Charity Handicap at Hamilton.

That should not stop him, though, as he won his last race by a yawning six lengths and can continue on the upgrade.