Gilbert Gardiner’s horses to follow, forgive from Sandown Saturday

Herald Sun and Racenet racing writer Gilbert Gardiner’s horses to follow and forgive from Sandown.

Nicolini Vito roared to victory from the eye-catching comeback galloper Windstorm. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Herald Sun and Racenet racing writer Gilbert Gardiner’s horses to follow and forgive from Sandown Hillside on Saturday.

FIVE TO FOLLOW

WINDSTORM (2nd R10)

Super effort first start for Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood and only third race in more than four years. Posted wide in the run and provided a cart for eventual winner, the hard-fit and in-form NICOLINI VITO, in the 1400m Benchmark 100. All going well, a soft run in transit next start and Windstorm should be ultra-competitive barring any second-up blues. Include DEVOTED in future plans also, finished intently third-up and looks ready to peak.

BELTORO (5th, R7)

Faced an almost impossible task, settled last behind a sluggish early tempo, yet made good ground in the straight to run fifth, only beaten 3.3 lengths. Fourth run for the preparation so hard fit and primed to strike at 2000m with a more suitable race shape. Equally, a good effort by the favourite HIGHLIGHTS (2nd) to mount a challenge a dash into second. The first three in the run finished first, third and fourth as they crawled to the 800m – 16 lengths slower than standard time.

Pudding puts them to sword! ⚔️

Zac Spain with a double at Sandown.@[e-mail]/OLc58lMscS

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 25, 2024

ENNA’S DREAM (3rd, R3)

Good effort second-up and should only improve. Box-seated behind the leader and eventual runner-up APACHE SONG but appeared to pull a fraction when the speed slackened mid-race. Picked up again late but no match for the winner MISS ARIA, massive finish despite being back in the field and wide with nothing to cart her into the race. ELPHINSTONE (4th) luckless in transit, cluttered up in traffic and only got clear inside the last 100m. First four should be winning more races.

PITCHANUN (unplaced, R6)

Stablemate MISS ARIA (1st, R3) the most impressive winner of the meeting and could head north to Queensland in search of stakes’ success, but don’t overlook the run of Pitchanun either. Raced in restricted room worse than midfield and never really got out or fully motivated. The mare, probably not suited by the drying ground either, the track was upgraded from a Soft 5 to Good 4 after the race, should benefit from the second-up. QUEEN AIR (unplaced, R6) finished the race off also from back in the field.

Miss Aria from last to first! 🔥

Bonaria's daughter is racing very consistently this preparation & she makes it back-to-back wins ✌️ @[e-mail]/XM2ZweuYdY

— Racing.com (@Racing) May 25, 2024

JENNI’S MEADOW (4th, R1)

Best work late and should be suited over more ground second-up. A nice return in the 1000m Two-Year-Old Handicap at Sandown, tracked the eventual winner HEINOUS just worse than midfield in the run and not quite zippy enough to sprint over the short course. Won on debut last campaign at 1200m and then raced well, eighth, in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic second up. Has her share of ability and another win not far away.

Jabbawockeez loves racing on rain-affected ground. Picture: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images

FORGIVE

CAWDOR (unplaced, R9)

Went terrible but cannot sack off first Australian start. The French import was smashed in early betting, $10 to $4.60 and again minutes before the start, jumped $3 favourite with TAB, but failed to fire a shot after a gun run in transit just behind the speed. First time on a Good track and put in a career-worst performance. Best form in France and preparatory work at Cranbourne all been on wet ground. Stick with him.

FLYING FIZZ and FLOOZIE (unplaced, R3)

Flying Fizz was posted wide in the run from the outset and pulled through the early and middle stages. Despite the circumstances, stuck to the task in the straight. Favourite Floozie settled near the rear and stayed there. A post-race examination revealed the filly experienced a cardiac arrhythmia.

That's Hard To Cross' fourth win at Sandown, he loves the joint! 😍

It's another winner for @jaylahkennedy too 👸 pic.twitter.com/UtbpZOG6yK

— Racing.com (@Racing) May 25, 2024

JABBAWOCKEEZ (unplaced, R8)

Chances deteriorated once the track was upgraded to a Good 4. The five-year-old gelding has four wins and two placings from eight starts on rain-affected surfaces and four unplaced runs on dry ground. Raced well all considered, only beaten 2.4 lengths. CHIEF ALTONY (unplaced) pulled up with a cardiac arrhythmia. Forget he went around.

Flattered (blue jacket, red cap) charged into second behind impressive winner Heinous (black and orange). Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

CRUNCH TIME

FLATTERED (2nd, R1)

Enormous again from back in the field and clocked the fastest last 600m (32.27sec) and 400m (21.64sec) sectionals last Saturday at Sandown. Her 11.24sec last 200m was only bettered by one other horse.

WILLIAM THOMAS (unplaced, R4)

Always well back and never threatened but still managed to slice through the field and record quickest last 200m sectional (11.21sec) on the card.

Originally published as Gilbert Gardiner’s horses to follow, forgive from Sandown Saturday