Summertime at Sandown Park.

Horse Talk with Simon Jackson:

Top horse racing tips and the latest news.

SANDOWN Park hosts the Betway Summer Celebration meeting on Friday and Saturday which features the Group 3 Betway Solario Stakes and Group 3 Atalanta Stakes.

The seven-furlong Solario Stakes has an impressive roll call of winners having been won by subsequent Investec Derby winner Masar in 2017 and Too Darn Hot, the European Champion Two-Year-Old of 2018.

The Clive Cox-trained Positive heads the betting 13-8 in a maximum field of seven for this year’s event which is televised live (ITV4) at 3.35pm on Saturday.

Positive, a son of Dutch Art, scored by five lengths on his debut when sent off favourite for a seven-furlong contest at Salisbury in June.  The colt pleased connections at his next start when beaten by a similar margin when second to unbeaten QIPCO 2000 Guineas favourite Pinatubo at Goodwood last month.

At Goodwood Positive was held up in the last pair by Adam Kirby before challenging two furlongs out. He ran on well to finish a clear second, five lengths ahead of the other rivals.

“Positive took a big step forward at Goodwood and has pleased me since,” Cox said ahead of the first day of the meeting where the going at Sandown is currently described at Good, Good to Firm in Places. “The winner was hugely impressive that day, but Positive was clearly best of the rest,” he continued.

“We’ve always held him in high regard, and he’s still developing and growing. He’s got a lot of scope and is an exciting prospect. He’s very much on course for Sandown.”

Bookmakers believe the colt deserves his place at the head of the market. Paddy Power representative Paul Binfield said: “We feel positive about the prospects of Positive at Sandown on Saturday. He ran into a real top-notcher last time and looks a worthy favourite.”

Earlier on Saturday’s card Jubiloso is fancied to get favourite-backers off to a good start by winning the one-mile Betway Atalanta Stakes. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly has raced four times, winning the first two and then running well when third in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Royal Ascot and third at her most recent start in a Group 3 at Goodwood.

Horse Talk with Simon Jackson. Showcasing horse racing in London and the south east.