Sandown Racing Tips for August 19 – Group 2 placegetter Zambales to enjoy a confidence booster

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which features in our comprehensive coverage of midweek racing from around Australia.

Lake Vostok can go close in the opener. The six-year-old has a slight class edge on this lot and drops back in grade. She was solid when 5th over the 1600m in a Benchmark 78 at Flemington two starts ago before not enjoying much room at a vital stage when 7th on the Caulfield Heath a couple of Saturdays ago. The Luke Oliver-trained mare has been producing some strong figures, going seven lengths faster than standard or better in two of her three runs this time in. She should enjoy a nice trail from barrier 3, with a solid tempo ahead of her to set things up. Lake Vostok was a winner at her only start at the track and trip and will be ridden by Blake Shinn, who is three from six for the stable, returning a 167% profit on investment.

Willing to take the short odds about Zambales in Race 2. The Godolphin galloper is yet to win in seven starts but this looks like an ideal opportunity to break through and gain some confidence heading towards the spring. The new-season three-year-old was a narrow runner-up in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) earlier this year before tackling Sydney’s two-year-old Triple Crown, which included a desperately unlucky run in the Golden Slipper (1200m). The stable removes the blinkers for the first time and the son of Pinatubo looked sharp when taking out a recent trial, while the early money has come for him.

Resolutely is another early at Sandown that looks set to break the duck. The Team Hayes filly has been a bit of a bridesmaid so far, finishing runner-up in all three starts. She went down to Stars Of Dom when resuming over the 1200m on Finals Day at Flemington before leading and being picked off in the shadows by Doubt Tim over the 1100m at Caulfield at her most recent start. That pair put a two-length gap on the 3rd placegetter, Stakes, who has since come out and won at Caulfield. The daughter of Hellbent went nearly 10 lengths faster than standard benchmark on the day and there was plenty of merit in the performance. Ghana’s Khan, who finished 4th, encountered some trouble in the same race but Resolutely still had a decent margin on that horse at the line. With that form stacking up, it may take something well above average from one of the first starters to deny her a deserved maiden win.

This looks to be a suitable assignment for Farcited. The four-year-old has returned in promising fashion after spending more than a year off the scene following his unplaced run in the 2025 Golden Slipper (1200m). He was a bit of an eye-catcher first-up at Caulfield, settling back before overcoming traffic and producing the fastest last 200m of the race to finish 3rd behind I’m Foxing over the 1000m. At his only start since, the son of Farnan stepped up to the 1100m at Caulfield and was a solid 5th behind Prince Tycoon, going more than seven lengths faster than standard. This looks a much easier assignment and he should now be approaching peak fitness third-up, while barrier 3 gives Mark Zahra every opportunity to settle him closer and enjoy an economical run.