Midterm ready for Sandown test Midterm puts his Investec Derby credentials on the line in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown on Friday. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt is a top-priced 10-1 second favourite for the premier Classic at Epsom behind O'Brien's US Army Ranger despite having had just the one run. That came in October at Newbury where he made a winning debut, landing a 17-runner maiden over a mile by a length from Magnum. The Galileo colt, owned and bred by Khalid Abdullah, has a lot to live up to as he is the first foal of six-times Group One winner Midday. Midterm will face six rivals as he steps up to a mile and a quarter in this Group Three contest. The only other unbeaten runner in the line-up is High Grounds, who impressed on his racecourse introduction with a six-length romp at Lingfield in January. Another easy all-weather winner bidding to step up is the William Haggas-trained Dwight D, who made all when scoring by nine lengths at Wolverhampton in January. David Simcock saddles Algometer, who shaped plenty of promise when winning the second of his two starts at Newbury in October. The four horses mentioned all hold a Derby entry while the other three do not at this stage. Ventura Storm, winner of the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket last week, turns out again while his trainer Richard Hannon has also declared Palawan. The septet is completed by Mark Johnston's Ode To Evening.
