The progressive Sun Central is strongly fancied at 9/2 to defy top-weight and land the 3.30 at Chester today.
William Haggas’ well-bred colt showed he handled the track when pulling clear to score by 3 1/2 lengths in a maiden over 1m 2f last June and went on to land a 1m 4f contest at Ascot in taking fashion.
He looked a horse to keep on the right side of judge on that success, and that has proved to be the case with him winning two of his three starts this season and finishing runner-up on the other occasion.
The son of Galileo showed tremendous battling qualities to beat Mysterious Man by a short-head at Salisbury on his reappearance and then ran a stormer to finish second of 14 to De Rigueur at Haydock when attempting to give him 9lb.
The winner had previously finished runner-uo to subsequent Ebor winner Tiger Cliff, and the pair pulled 4 1/2 lengths clear of the third to give the form a solid look.
The selection then got back to winning ways at York last time out, where he powered clear to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths from Songcraft off a mark of 100.
He had two of today’s rivals Guarantee and Montaser behind that day, and although they are now better off at the weights its hard to see them turning the form around given the manner of Sun Central’s success.
To me he looked a stayer going places and a potential Group performer in the making and if that is the case then a further 8lb rise in the weights is unlikely to stop him going in again.
I had him priced up at around the 5/2 mark for this, so at 9/2 he looks overpriced and rates a solid punt.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 4pts win Sun Central (9/2 bet365, Betfred – BOG)