Sandown Racing Tips for September 5 – Evaporate to make it back to back Sandown Stakes wins

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which features the Group 1 Moir Stakes.

It has been a stop start campaign for Cruiserweight after a couple of scratchings, while the Hayes galloper will be looking to bounce back when he steps out in Race 4. He was disappointing when rolled as a well-backed $1.80 favourite at Caulfield at his most recent start, which was in late July. However, it is worth noting that he raced very keenly outside the leader on a hot tempo before going down by just over two lengths behind Lauberhorn. The former Kiwi still went 8.5 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is right up there alongside Fundamental Nature, who has to do it the hard way from out wide. Ethan Brown rides and can box seat from the inside. He strikes at 21% when combining with the Hayes stable, providing a 37% profit on investment. 

Closer To Free is the one to beat in the Mitchell McKenzie Stakes for the three-year-olds. The Blue Diamond (1200m) runner-up from the autumn resumed in the Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 15 and drew widest of the nine runners before settling worse than midfield. That race developed into a sit sprint and he was solid to the line, finishing two lengths off Hard Kick. He can settle a little closer this time around from the inside and his Blue Diamond effort came at his only other second up run. 

Evaporate is set to chalk up back to back Sandown Stakes wins. The five-year-old took this out last year when second up and was excellent when resuming with a 3rd behind Cosmic Crusader in the PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) when resuming three weeks ago. He led them up in that race and just burnt up a bit of fuel early when keen before sticking on late. Second up at his last preparation he improved eight lengths on benchmark figures when going from a 4th to a runner-up in the All-Star Mile (1600m) when splitting Tom Kitten and Pride Of Jenni, while he has an excellent overall record at this stage. 

Going with Giga Kick in the Moir Stakes. The seven-year-old returns for another campaign and has some solid first up credentials, while this does not look to be the strongest Group 1. He was all class when resuming with a win in the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last year and at his fresh run in the autumn, he didn't quite handle the Good track in the Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) when 5th behind Tentyris. He is likely to get his favoured going here with a Soft track likely on the day and he can settle in a stalking position just worse than midfield from barrier 9. Pace looks suitable with Cavalry Girl and Natural Fling among a few that like to go forward and he will have the last crack at them.