Heavy showers arrive at Sandown despite forecast

A DRY night at Sandown has dried the ground from good to good, good to firm in places and, with temperatures set to soar to highs of 24 degrees celsius, it could firm up further.

Heavy rain hit the course on Thursday night and eased the ground to good, but clerk of the course Andrew Cooper appeared confident that the forecast showers for Friday night would not be enough to soften it more even if they materialised.

"The course took Thursday's rain very well and the ground today is lovely Flat racing ground,"Cooper said on Saturday.

"The sun is shining and there is bright blue sky, so it looks very much like we will get a far better day than was expected."

The faster ground means that doubts surrounding dual Classic hero Sea The Stars' participation are all but gone and the John Oxx-trained son of Cape Cross was getting acquainted with the course on Saturday morning.

"Sea The Stars has just been having a quiet walk around the parade ring and he's actually been taking a look at the winners' enclosure to get himself familiarised with the place for later on," Cooper added.

Bidding to become the first horse since Nashwan to complete the Derby-Eclipse double, Sea The Stars remain's a solid 8-13 favourite, with third-favourite Rip Van Winkle drifting out to as big as 7-1 (from 9-2) on the early exchanges.