The 1m4f claimer at Compiegne (1.25pm) features three last-time-out winners and one of those, Sandstorm, looks overpriced to gain a second success of the season at this level.

He had run well on his reappearance at Munich in June (a distant third, but the front two are both progressive) and just looked to find things happening too quickly for him over 1m1f on his French debut at Dieppe the following month.

Upped in trip to 1m3f last time at Moulins and dropped into claiming company, he made most of the running and won with a fair bit in hand in the first-time blinkers.  That form might not be worth much, but connections defended at €4.5K above the tag and that’s a strong suggestion they feel there is more to come – trainer Sarah Steinberg is 11-31 in France this year and her record in claimers in 2021 reads 11211, so her horses are clearly well-placed.

The softer ground should be less of an issue for this son of Pastorius than a couple of the form rivals in the race, including favourite Speedful, who was a moderate two year old for Ralph Beckett and whose sire Charm Spirit’s progeny tend to prefer a sound surface.

1.25pm Compiegne – 2pts win Sandstorm @ 7-1 (various)