A review of the action from Sandown Park

A review of the action from Sandown Park where Alonsoa and Ryan Moore took the headlines.

Alonsoa became the second two-year-old to flag up obvious Group-race potential within the space of a week for the thriving Henry Candy stable after victory in the Listed Irish Champions Weekend EBF Stallions Star Stakes at Sandown.

Last Friday, Limato had created a big impression at Newbury, and the reliably cautious Candy was notably positive about his latest winner, who was taking her career record to two from two.

Alonsoa, the 6-5 favourite, showed professionalism under Dane O'Neill as she tracked the pace-setting Russian Punch before forging ahead with a furlong left and retaining a gap of three-quarters of a length from Pack Together.

The Oxfordshire trainer is even considering paying 30,000 euro to add the chestnut daughter of Raven's Pass to the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Irish Champions weekend itself in mid-September.

"She already wants a mile, and the gradient here suited," said Candy. "She's big and strong and very straightforward. We'll have to discuss plans with the owners.

"I didn't put her in the Moyglare, she'd need supplementing for that. I did put her in the Rockfel, but that's a long way away and she'd need another run before then."

Candy did train the outstanding racing and broodmare Time Charter to win the Oaks and Champion Stakes in 1982 but has been recognised more recently for quicker fillies like Cheveley Park scorer Airwave.

"The good ones I've had have mainly been sprinters, I haven't had one of this calibre," he said.

"Hopefully she's a filly with a good future. The two-year-olds are flying at the moment. I've just got some lovely horses."

There is an inevitability about the outcome whenever Ryan Moore moves into position and the championship leader demonstrated this on no fewer than four occasions.

He started on Purple Spectrum (11-2), one of the first batch of horses sent to William Haggas by The Queen, in the Weatherbys Stallion Book Handicap.

A Windsor maiden winner from four previous starts, the Verglas gelding seemed to enjoy stepping up to a mile and three-quarters as he stretched three and a half lengths clear.

Haggas' wife, Maureen, said: "We thought the ground might be a bit quick but he enjoyed the uphill finish and the extra trip.

"He did it nicely and is growing up quite a bit. He did win at Windsor, but a winding track like that wouldn't have suited him."

Moore then pounced aboard even-money favourite Alex Vino in the Odgers Berndtson Handicap.

Sir Michael Stoute's High Chaparral colt had been off since finishing fourth in April but steadily wore down Qanan.

Tony Fry, representing owner Nurzan Bizakov, said: "He'd been given a bit of time and liked the ground. I'm sure the boss will talk about plans with Sir Michael but hopefully we'll have some fun with him."

It was the same team again in the Kingsway Claims Maiden Stakes when Tercel (9-2) built upon the promise on his debut in the Wood Ditton maiden at Newmarket by eventually sticking his neck past Hesbaan.

Stoute's representative James Savage said: "He has done a fair bit of growing since the Wood Ditton and hopefully will continue his progress."

A 123-1 four-timer was completed when Moore drove Paul d'Arcy's 8-11 favourite Global Leader home in the Lubricators Handicap.

Profitable could start proving well named judged by the Molson Coors/Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Stakes.

Clive Cox's juvenile ran into Strath Burn, who was subsequently second in the Prix Robert Papin, on his debut and the 2-5 favourite never looked in much danger in the red and white colours of Alan Spence.

"We liked him at home, and it was clearly a hot maiden at Newbury," said Cox.

"He's come on for it, and I'm sure he'll progress further. He looks an out-and-out sprinter and we'll take it once step at a time."