Master Of War (left) is the 2-1 favourite for Saturday’s Solario Stakes

PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos), BY ANDREW SCUTTS & LEWIS PORTEOUS7:20PM 30 AUG 2012

PUNTERS on Thursday evening were finally able to get stuck in to Saturday’s action after Paddy Power priced up Sandown’s three main races

Master Of War will be stepping up to 7f for the first time, and has won on soft and good ground.

It certainly does not look as though there will be much cut in the surface, according to clerk of the course Andrew Cooper, and on Master Of War’s only appearance on good to firm, his debut, he was fifth.

Cooper said on Thursday night: “There was a little bit of drizzle around this morning but nothing of any significance and the ground is good, good to firm in places.

“The forecast is for it to remain dry on both Friday and Saturday and I don’t envisage the ground changing. It just so happens that Sandown has been on the bottom end of the scale when it comes to the recent rainfall.”

The most valuable race on Saturday in Britain is Sandown’s Piper Heidsieck Champagne & Levy Board Handicap, worth £60,000, and Paddy Power made top-weight Mijhaar 9-2 favourite. He finished nearer last than first in the John Smith’s Cup at York last time, for which he was favourite.

In the Group 3 TBA-sponsored Atalanta Stakes, which drew a big field of 16 at declarations on Thursday morning, Paddy Power went 5-1 the field. Dank, runner-up in a Listed race at Haydock last time, is favourite at that price.

Elsewhere on the betting front on Thursday, Shantaram was a drifter for the Ladbrokes St Leger on September 15, with bet365 going 10-1 (from 9) and BetVictor 9 (from 8).

The news follows the Racing Post story concerning his doubtful participation in the Doncaster Classic, due to an interrupted preparation.
Racingpost.