Sangster hopes for rain ahead of Celestial Orbit’s Sandown Listed bid

Ollie Sangster is keeping a close eye on conditions at Sandown as he seeks back-to-back victories in the European Bloodstock News EBF Star Stakes with Celestial Orbit.

It was in this race 12 months ago that the Manton handler registered the first significant victory of his fledgling training career with currently sidelined stable star Shuwari.

He now looks to replicate that Listed success with his smart Haydock winner, who stepped up markedly on her Kempton debut in Merseyside.

However, a sting in the tail could be drying conditions in Esher, with Celestial Orbit’s trainer keen to see the forecast rain on Thursday come to fruition.

“Jamie (Spencer) gave her a nice ride at Haydock and she seemed to take a nice bit of improvement from her debut at Kempton and she won well in the end I think,” said Sangster.

“I also had her in a Group Three in Deauville on Sunday, but she doesn’t actually want the ground too fast. We’re slightly watching the weather forecast and there’s quite a lot of rain forecast on Thursday, it’s just whether it comes in time or not.

“It looks like it will be quick in France as well, so the plan is to run on Thursday unless it’s fast ground. It looks a competitive race and we will just have to see if the rain comes in time.”

Sangster should have a good idea of his main opposition as probable race favourite Flaming Stone handed well-regarded stablemate Flight a four-length beating at Newbury earlier this month.

Trained by Andrew Balding, the daughter of Kingman impressed in that Berkshire romp and connections now feel the time is right to test the waters at a higher level.

“She won well and it might not have been the strongest contest, the Ollie Sangster horse (Flight) ran well next time when second at Newmarket, but she hit the line well, she looked good and Oisin Murphy was very complimentary of her,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“It’s the next stepping stone now into stakes company and she will hopefully go there and have a good chance. It’s a lovely time on the calendar for her to go there and try to get some black type and then there’s a whole host of lovely fillies’ Group races coming up later in the year.

“Hopefully she will be able to step up to this kind of level on Thursday and then we can keep moving up the ladder slowly.”

Murphy, who partnered Flaming Stone at Newbury, will be in opposition this time as he links up with Archie Watson’s Lingfield winner Del Ray for his bosses at Qatar Racing, while Sir Mark Prescott’s Alla Stella takes a step up in grade just nine days after opening her account at the third attempt with a comfortable win at Kempton.

The Terminus showed both class and guts following a slow start to get off the mark on debut and represents Sir Michael Stoute and King Power Racing, while Grant Tuer’s Love Talks was not disgraced when taking on the colts in France and adds depth to this competitive heat.