The Atalanta Stakes is the first of two Group 3 races at Sandown this afternoon and Veracious drops back to a mile having pulled hard and failed to get home in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes (10f) at Goodwood last time.

This represents a drop in grade for the Sir Michael Stoute-trained three-year-old but she was beaten eight lengths by the brilliant Alpha Centauri over a mile in the Coronation Stakes on her penultimate start and at 8/11 with BetVictor she looks short enough.

James Doyle has ridden Awesometank to make all in her two starts this season, but the Doyler takes the mount on Laugh Aloud (3.00) returning from a 455-day lay-off today and I give the five-year-old the vote.

The selection (7/2 with BetVictor) is another who likes to lead but the hope is that John Gosden’s mare does not get embroiled in a battle for the lead with Awesometank. If she does get on the lead she will be tough to pass and the daughter of Dubawi has three Group 1 engagements later in the season.

Connections must feel that Too Darn Hot has the speed to cope with the drop back to seven furlongs having made a winning debut here over a mile last month. The colt is a brother of last week’s impressive York winner Lar Ti Dar and is an excellent middle-distance prospect (16/1 with BetVictor for the 2019 Derby) for next term.

The colt is evens with BetVictor and the expectation is that Frankie Dettori makes plenty of use of his beautifully bred juvenile. That said evens represents little value given the bare form of his debut win gives him a bit to find with a couple of today’s rivals including Confiding (3.35) who is taken to reverse Goodwood Group 2 form with Dunkerron.

The colt is 9/2 with BetVictor and gets the each way vote in what looks a very good renewal of this Group 3 contest.

Reconnaissance (4.10) steps up to 7f for the first time on his handicap debut for Andrew Balding and the hope is that the colt will improve considerably for the additional furlong. The Balding yard are going very well at present and Oisin Murphy takes over in the saddle for the first time since his racecourse debut.

No I’m Easy (4.45) was highly thought of as a juvenile for Tom Dascombe but had disappointed prior to a good win at Haydock in first-time cheek-pieces from a 4lbs lower mark last time. Now that he has got his head in front the hope is that the gelding can continue to improve.

At Newton Abbot, Roll The Dough (2.30) is very well handicapped on his hurdles form and has run very well fresh in the past for Philip Hobbs who I feel may have some well treated horses this winter.

I’m not convinced likely favourite Top Chief is a real stayer and he is 3lbs higher than when run out of it close home over course and distance under today’s 10lbs conditional. The narrow vote goes to the chasing debutant Hello Fellas (4.50) making his chase debut and having his first start for the Dan Skelton yard.

For all your racing odds go to BetVictor.com.