God Of War gives Tom Clover a first Sandown win

Tom Clover ended his long wait for a Sandown winner when God Of War relished the soft ground to strike in the Download The BetMGM App Handicap.

Ridden the last twice by Rossa Ryan, it was his after-race advice that paid dividends with David Egan the beneficiary in the saddle aboard the 11-1 shot as he registered a half-length success.

“It’s a monkey off our back to get the first Sandown winner, we’ve been stood over there in the placed spots a lot of times,” said the trainer’s wife, Jackie Clover.

“Rossa has ridden him the last twice and kept saying seven furlongs on easy ground and David has reaped the rewards.

“We’ve always thought quite a lot of this horse and things haven’t always gone to plan, but hopefully now he can get a bit of confidence and he can go on and do what we hoped he would do.”

The Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes was won by 1000 Guineas runner-up Flight last year and Alan King will be dreaming Deedaydiva has some big days ahead after obliging favourite-backers at 2-1.

Third behind Simon and Ed Crisford’s top-class prospect Zanthos at Newmarket on debut, the daughter of Churchill took the required step forward to confirm her handler’s lofty opinion with a bloodless two-length success in the hands of Hector Crouch.

“For mine to run so well first time at Newmarket, we were delighted, and she has been a very straightforward filly with a great mind on her,” said King.

“She came out of Newmarket lovely and has done it well today.

“I always thought she wanted a wee bit of dig, but she’s very straightforward and I’m very pleased with her.

“I’ve never had a two-year-old filly this good so I’ll have to go home and have a think about things. I do think she is pretty smart and we’ll enjoy today and have a look at the options. We think she is good.”

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