SO MI DAR may have had to bypass an intended run at York last week but can make up for lost time by winning the Matchbook Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown's evening meeting.

The four-year-old's planned Knavesmire outing was scuppered by rain, something which will not be on the list of things to worry about this week for fast-ground lovers.

John Gosden's charge is pretty versatile in terms of underfoot terrain but there is no doubt she goes well on a sound surface and, despite her trainer's hand being slightly forced, it is encouraging to see her take on the colts.

Her resume shows just one reverse, when narrowly beaten in the Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly on Arc day. Yet she was only half a length away and might have been a touch unlucky.

This is not of that standard and while she might need a mile and a half to be seen at her optimum if tackling the very best this season, her obvious class should see her through this engagement before her sights are raised again. Frankie Dettori rides today's nap selection.

SOUND AND SILENCE is hard to oppose in the Better Odds With Matchbook National Stakes with William Buick on board.

Charlie Appleby's first two-year-old winner of the season looked all speed at Newmarket, in what was quite a taking performance, despite the winning margin only being a narrow one.

He moved enthusiastically on the front end and did not have to be asked too many questions to see off the challenge of Never Back Down, who boosted the form when winning at Leicester.

Ground conditions should be ideal and Appleby has his string in rattling good form, so this race looks just up his alley before hopefully going on to Ascot.

BIG ORANGE can take full advantage of his pull in the weights with Quest For More by winning the Matchbook VIP Henry II Stakes, with Dettori again in the saddle.

The pair both sit on a mark of 117 and their previous encounters have resulted in some hard-fought battles, most notably when just a neck separated them in the Goodwood Cup a couple of years ago.

However, Big Orange has a 7lb pull here by virtue of Quest For More's Group One win in France last autumn and Michael Bell's charge can put that to good use.

He ran a fair race in Dubai when Quest For More was completely unsuited by the ground – and while conditions will be more to that horse's liking here, Big Orange also operated to good effect on quick going.

ZAINHOM might be the exciting one for Sir Michael Stoute in the Matchbook Traders Conference Heron Stakes, with Jim Crowley at the helm.

He returned to action in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, which was a rock-solid renewal, with winner Barney Roy finding only Churchill too good in the 2000 Guineas and runner-up Dream Castle rating better than his fifth in the Newmarket Classic.

Stoute's runner travelled well for much of the journey and is well entitled to do better still for that.

A solid fixture at Goodwood is headlined by the Markel Height of Fashion Stakes, which can go the way of GAKKU under Andrea Atzeni.

Trained by Roger Varian, she is bred to get further than a mile, so did really well to give Present Tense a fight at that trip on her debut at Yarmouth earlier this month.

With that experience under her belt, she should give a bold account with the best part of an extra couple of furlongs almost certainly to her benefit.