British Spot Plays: Sandown for May 28, 2026

Sandown's annual late-May fixture, which runs into early evening local time Thursday, is loaded with quality. John and Thady Gosden seem well-positioned to land the primary features, the Henry II (G3) with Sweet William and the Brigadier Gerard (G3) with Ombudsman, so I'll be concentrating on the two Listed stakes on the program.

After More Thunder ran a strong yet losing race in the Lockinge (G1) on May 16, my British bankroll now stands at $595.90 from a starting point of $500. I will wager 5% of the outstanding balance to win on the following selections, beginning with a $29 play.

Race 2: National S., 12:42 p.m. ET

We're sure to see some of these two-year-olds pop back up at Royal Ascot next month. For this five-furlong test, #7 Where Love Lives (5-1) offers appeal.

One of the earliest juvenile winners of the flat season, at Thirsk on April 10, Where Love Lives has been in a holding pattern while waiting for stakes opportunities to arrive. He was well backed in that debut, going favored at 3-2, and made all to win from next-out winner Hickory Lad.

As you might suspect, there is a lot of speed in this short dash. While Where Love Lives obviously has zip from the gate, his outside draw here might give him options to stalk-and-pounce, which might not be a bad option. 

Race 4: Heron S., 1:42 p.m. ET

This one-mile race for three-year-olds is rather loaded with exciting prospects that weren't quite ready for the Guineas in either England or Ireland.

The Gosdens have an excellent chance in this, too, with the Shadwell homebred Yazin, while Godolphin sends out four, headed by Talk of New York. I'm leaning, though, to another from the Charlie Appleby yard.

Aside from a no-show in a hot renewal of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1), #1 Time to Turn (9-2) owns an excellent record of three wins and two seconds from five starts in Britain. That indeed makes him more exposed than the aforementioned favorites, but his stakes wins last term in the Pat Eddery at Ascot and Horris Hill (G3) at Newbury were both attractive performances and showed his versatility on various types of ground.

The recent heat wave in England suggests the going should be rather fast at Sandown, but those conditions and this class level are those which Time to Turn should be more than suited to.