- Seven race Sandown card the midweek highlight
- Ombudsman headlines Brigadier Gerard Stakes night at Sandown
- Andy Newton gives you his 1-2-3 Sandown horse racing tips on Thursday
Andy Newton’s Sandown Horse Racing Tips: Thursday 28th May 2026
One of the midweek flat racing highlights is this week at Sandown, as the Esher venue hosts their popular Brigadier Gerard night.
We’ve a decent seven-race card to look forward to and ReadHorseRacing’s Andy Newton takes you through the action.
- 5:10 – THE LOST SOCK
- 5:42 – WHERE LOVE LIVES
- 6:12 – SWEET WILLIAM
- 6:42 – YAZIN
- 7:12 – OMBUDSMAN
- 7:45 – RAAMMEE
- 8:20 – DARZAH
PLUS – you can also catch me this week (and every week) on the popular FINAL FURLONG PODCAST, with host Emmet Kennedy and guests as we look at the best of the weekend action.
Sandown Horse Racing Tips: Ombudsman The Star Attraction On Brigadier Gerard Night
Ombudsman
5:10 – Star Sports Handicap Cl4 (3yo 0-85) 5f RTV
THE LOST SOCK was a poor 10th the last day at Thirsk, but a line can be put through that race with the horse getting hampered.
Has had 40 days to get over that run and the Roger Varian team also boast a 21% SR with their 3yolds here at Sandown, which is a further plus.
This son of Cotai Glory has also been dropped 2lbs and prior to that last outing was a close third at Wolves – so is given another chance.
Of the others, the Clive Cox yard only have a 3% SR with their 3yolds here, so their Akirra is overlooked.
With CD winner Killavia and Major Neigh Sayer, with Oisin Murphy booked, the ones that can do best of the rest.
🥇THE LOST SOCK
🥈Killavia
🥉Major Neigh Sayer
5:42 – Star Sports National Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (2yo) 5f RTV
All of the last four winners of this 5f sprint came from gates 3 or 6 (two each) – so this might be seen as a plus for Bill The Bull (3) and A Bear Affair (6).
But the Richard Hannon team are only 2-59 with his juveniles here, which makes his A Bear Affair hard to fancy.
The David O’Meara camp are not in the best overall form, so their Princesse d’ Orange is overlooked too.
So that leaves Adaay Of Scarlett, Napa and Where Love Lives as the most likely three to focus on. And cases can be made for them all, coming here off nice wins.
But the Kevin Ryan runner WHERE LOVE LIVES could be the value as also the slightly lesser exposed runner.
He won well on debut at Thirsk last month and with the second Hickory Lad winning (and running well at Chester) since, the form looks fair.
I’ll take Where Love Lives to show the most heart.
🥇WHERE LOVE LIVES
🥈Napa
🥉Adaay Of Scarlett
6:12 – Star Sports Henry II Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m RTV
The Gosden team have won the last two runnings of this race – including in 2024 with SWEET WILLIAM, who I think will be hard to beaten again.
This popular staying cup horse is still going strong aged 7 and returned this season to win the Sagaro Stakes. Taking his earnings to £1.16m.
He can add another £53k here at the expense of last season’s Derby silver Lazy Griff, who gets a handy 6lbs from the pick.
With Further and Epic Poet, who were 4th and 3rd in the Yorkshire Cup, also respected.
But I’m ‘Sweet’ on William here.
🥇SWEET WILLIAM
🥈Further
🥉Lazy Griff
6:42 – Star Sports Heron Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (3yo) 1m RTV
This has been a good race for jockey William Buick in recent years – winning the last two on Almaqam and Opera Ballo.
He’s got another big chance with the Charlie Appleby runner Talk Of New York, who impressed at Newmarket the last day.
But this has also been a top contest for the Gosden yard – winning the pot three times since 2018. They run YAZIN.
I was also taken with his win at Southwell the last day, when slamming another Godolphin horse Golden View.
Another step up is needed here but that last run was also his first since a wind op and Ryan Moore, who was on that day, keeps the ride.
The main two in the market are both rated 104, but at this stage the pick is the better price.
🥇YAZIN
🥈Talk Of New York
🥉Time To Turn
7:12 – Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m2f RTV
Last season’s Juddmonte and Prince Of Wales’ Stakes hero OMBUDSMAN is the star attraction at Sandown on Thursday and really it will be a shock if he’s not winning too.
Last seen just two months ago winning the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan and as a result has to give 7lbs away to the others.
But Gosden’s runner heads here as a three-time Group One winner and is taken to give the yard their fourth in this race.
Those against him might look to him being 0-2 here at Sandown. Including being second in the Brigadier Gerrard Stakes last year.
But 12 months ago, he was coming here off 8 months – whereas, this time it’s only a two month lay-off.
Of the rest, Wathnan’s Gethin has been popular in the betting and impressed in the Magnolia Stakes last time. But this is a leap up from Listed to Group Three company.
Plus still has 15lbs to find with Ombudsman and only gets 7lbs.
Almeric is the second top-rated (117) and should be better for a recent third in the Gordon Richards Stakes here last month.
While Godolphin have two other runners – Arabian Light and Bedouin Prince. With Ryan Moore, who has won this race seven times, and interesting jockey booking on the first-named.
🥇OMBUDSMAN
🥈Gethin
🥉Arabian Light
Key Stats 📈
- 23/23 – Won at least twice
- 20/23 – Won over at least 1m2f
- 19/23 – Favourites that finished in the top 3
- 19/23 – Won a Group or Listed race
- 19/23 – Returned 7/1 or shorter in the betting
- 18/23 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
- 17/23 – Won between 2-4 times
- 17/23 – Rated 111 or higher
- 16/23 – Aged 4 years-old
- 12/23 – Won a Group Race
- 13/23 – Drawn in stall 4 or lower
- 12/23 – Raced within the last 7 weeks
- 10/23 – Irish bred
- 8/23 – Won last time out
- 7/23 – Ridden by Ryan Moore (7 of last 15)
- 6/23 – Raced at Newmarket last time out
- 6/23 – Favourites
- 2/23 – Raced at the Curragh last time out
- 2/23 – Trained by John Gosden (2 of the last 11)
- The average winning SP in the last 23 years is 9/2
7:45 – Starsports.Bet Whitsun Cup Handicap Cl3 (4yo+ 0-95) 1m RTV
Boyfriend, Saytarr and Hickory are all noted – while William Buick booked to ride the Charles Hills runner Cogitate also stands out.
But it’s hard to ignore the good recent wins from RAAMMEE, who won on debut at Kempton in August and backed that up with an easy 12-length win at Newcastle last September.
Hasn’t been seen since, but the second and fourth have both won since to frank the form.
Ray Dawson rides, the Varian yard are in good form at the moment and the pair also teamed up to take this in 2023.
With the final plus their 38% SR at the track with their 4+yolds.
Of the rest, you feel the once useful Nostrum might pop up again at some point. As he’s now down to a mark of 89, having won a Listed race off 113 back in July 2023.
🥇RAAMMEE
🥈Cogitate
🥉Nostrum
8:20 – Starsports.Bet Handicap Cl4 (3yo 0-80) 1m RTV
A tricky handicap to end the card with and so there will be many Sandown horse racing tips flying about here.
These include the Oisin Murphy-ridden Brave Hunter, the consistent Law Court and recent Kempton winner Blues And Royals.
But with a 27% SR with their 3yolds here at Sandown the William Haggas yard have to be respected.
They run the lightly-raced DARZAH, who got off the mark at the second attempt at Bath earlier this month.
That came in a Novice Stakes race so is into handicap company for the first time here, but she looks on a fair opening mark of 78
🥇DARZAH
🥈Brave Hunter
🥉Blues And Royals
