Cox out to bag first Scurry Stakes with improving Koditime

2.05 Sandown
Randox Health Scurry Stakes | Listed | 5f | ITV4/RUK

This ten-strong field have a hard act to follow in the curtain-raiser as last year it was won by the flying Battaash.

The Scurry must be the only Sandown-based sprint that Clive Cox has yet to win, but he is out to break the sequence with Koditime.

The son of Kodiac should be suited by the fast five furlongs, as he was when winning a handicap over this trip on his reappearance at York in May.

After that, the three-year-old narrowly failed to follow up when just a head shy of giving 13lb to Cowboy Soldier at Windsor.

A wide berth is not ideal for Koditime this time but Cox is confident his charge has the gears to overcome it.

He said: "We've had runners in the Scurry before but the closest we've come to winning it was when Profitable was second a couple of years ago. Koditime goes there in good form after a his win at York and a great weight carrying performance at Windsor, but I just wish his draw in stall ten was a bit better. It's been done before though and hopefully he can overcome it."

Tate back in productive territory

Haddaf is going back to the scene of his win on Brigadier Gerard Stakes day in April, an occasion when all seven winners on the card came from Newmarket.

James Tate's speedster is one of three runners in the field from headquarters this time and has since finished a close eighth in a Listed contest at York.

Tate said: "We're going back to a productive venue with Haddaf. After his last effort at York we were tempted to go up to six furlongs with him but the stiff five at Sandown seemed to suit."

Appleby charge out to Silence the doubters

Morawij was the last horse to defy a penalty in this when winning in 2013 and Charlie Appleby is out to repeat the feat with the frustrating Sound And Silence.

The Godolphin handler reaches for the blinkers for the first time for the son of Exceed And Excel, who carries a 5lb extra burden following his Group 3 win in France last September.

Sound And Silence was a shadow of his juvenile days in his two starts this term beating just one opponent home on each occasion, but Appleby is hoping for a better show.

He said: "Sound And Silence is paying the price for being so consistent last year. We're trying something different by putting the blinkers on first time and he has a decent draw in stall two."

Three and easy for Hamdan?

After Battaash a year ago and Waady in 2015, Hamdan Al Maktoum is out to win this for the third time in four years with Mokaatil, who may have had excuses for disappointing at York last time.

The Owen Burrows-trained speedster was a handy juvenile last year when finishing fourth in the Listed Windsor Castle and signed off with a decent third in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket in October.

Burrows said: "He disappointed us at York but we subsequently found he had a problem with his mouth hence the high head carriage that day. He's fine again now and we are hoping for a good show as he's also well drawn in stall one."

What they say

Charlie Hills, trainer of Spoof
He has a little to find with Haddaf on his run there in April but will appreciate the better ground. It's a tight race but he's got a good draw and we're hopeful.

Chris Dwyer, trainer of Rock On Baileys
She's a speedy type and the track should suit her although she's never run there before. If she could get some black type it would be marvellous.

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