Katie Midwinter (24/09/22)
1.50pm – Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2)
Charlie Appleby is yet to win this race, despite saddling the favourite, Coroebus, in last year’s contest won by Mark Johnston’s Royal Patronage.
The Godolphin colt went on to win the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes, whilst Royal Patronage failed to replicate his performance and was well beaten in the aforementioned Classic at this track, and now plies his trade across the pond.
Other notable names to have run in the race in recent years, failing to win, include Kameko and Pyledriver.
The four colts lining up this year all recorded wins last time out and will be hoping to emulate the horses mentioned by gaining top class success of their own in future outings, following their runs in this Group Two contest.
They are all lightly raced two-year-olds, improving with each run and showing progression, which makes it an extremely exciting contest that is tough to predict.
Last year’s winning trainer, this time in partnership with his son Charlie, is represented by the outsider of the field, Dubai Mile. A son of the late Roaring Lion, the colt is two from two since stepping up to a mile and is unexposed at this level, making him an interesting contender.
Andrew Balding’s The Foxes did well to record a maiden win over Classic at Goodwood but had been disappointing prior to that and the runner-up has been well-beaten since.
However, he mustn’t be ruled out in his first attempt at the trip, with his pedigree suggesting he could be suited to further.
Seven-time winner of the race, Aidan O’Brien, saddles the most experienced colt lining up, Greenland. He has run four times, only once over a mile when finishing second at Killarney. When last seen he won his maiden comfortably in a 7f race that didn’t appear to be stacked with quality.
On form alone, the horse to beat is warm favourite Flying Honours.
A Listed-winner by five-and-a-half-lengths at Salisbury when last seen, he beat runner-up Stormbuster who was an impressive winner of a four-runner race at Newbury last week, beating two well-thought of juveniles in Highbank and Classic.
The well-bred colt, by Sea The Stars out a Group Three-winning Dubawi mare, is bidding for a hat-trick of wins and should be able to extend his unbeaten run if on song.
2.25pm – Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1)
A quality race comes in the Cheveley Park Stakes at 2:25pm, a Group One contest for juvenile fillies. The market is headed by Ballydoyle representative Meditate, a filly whose unbeaten run came to an end with defeat to Tahiyra on a soft surface at the Curragh recently.
The winner, a half-sister to Tarnawa and trained by Dermot Weld, was incredibly impressive in only her second outing and could turn out to be a special filly.
Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of No Nay Never has been electrifying prior to that race, showing great heart and determination to see out her races well, recording a Group Two win, as well as two Group Three successes.
She is the one to beat but faces stiff opposition, with a number of high-class horses taking her on, including recent Group Two-winner, Trillium.
Richard Hannon’s filly is also by No Nay Never, and has been in exceptional form of late, recording three consecutive wins, including the Group Two Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster where she beat The Platinum Queen.
She steps back up to 6f, the distance over which she recorded her maiden win, and should be just as effective over the trip once again.
Lezoo is unlucky to have been beaten this season when hampered by Mawj in the closing stages in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, she suffered her first defeat.
She bounced back with a Group Three success in the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes and does appear to be available at a big price, considering how impressive she has been this season.
She may perhaps struggle against the two market leaders, but at much bigger odds she could represent some value and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her show the necessary improvement to compete with her shorter-priced rivals.
Swingalong was a surprise winner of the Lowther Stakes at York, where she beat Mawj by three-lengths.
The form of the race did take a slight blow following Queen Me’s third-place effort as favourite at Ayr in a Group Three last week.
Karl Burke’s filly shouldn’t be discounted however, and there are others capable of making the frame in the race, available at decent prices.
Irish-raider Treasure Trove has been progressing well and is bidding for a three-timer, following a Group Three success over the trip when last seen.
She is one to consider for Paddy Twomey but needs to reverse form with Meditate.
3.00pm – Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)
The quirky Blackbeard is a talented individual and has already recorded a convincing win over Persian Force in the Group One when last seen.
Considering the No Nay Never colt sweated up and acted quite peculiarly prior to the race, it was a testament to his professional attitude during the race as well as his jockey’s horsemanship that he was able to put in such a good performance at Deauville to gain the victory.
Richard Hannon’s Persian Force, as well as Blackbeard’s stablemate The Antarctic, has plenty to do to reverse form and it’s difficult to see them beating the Prix Morny winner.
Mischief Magic is an interesting contender bidding for a four-timer following a Group Three-win last time out on the all-weather.
The Applebly yard has been in excellent form of late, but a number of their juveniles have been underperforming which may be a slight concern.
The market leader Marshman was only beaten by Noble Style at York last month, but was two from two prior to that, and has appeared progressive for Karl Burke.
The unexposed Zoology has only been seen once, when winning on debut, and could come on for that run.
However, if able replicate his recent performances, Blackbeard should take all the beating, and it could be a good day for the yard across the cards.
3.40pm – Cambridgeshire Handicap
Twenty-eight runners are set to head to post ahead of the Cambridgeshire Handicap. The market is headed by William Haggas’ Mujtaba.
There are a number of horses capable of making the frame in what is a tricky handicap to predict, and there does appear to be plenty of value from an each-way perspective.
Marcus Tregoning’s four-year-old Perotto has been in disappointing form this season but has been running in small fields and often in higher class races.
He finished closely behind My Oberon and Modern News at Windsor earlier this season, which represents a decent formline.
As a three-year-old he won the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and often finished closely behind some well-thought of horses. Off a mark of 103 he could have each-way claims at a huge price.
Another to consider is Totally Charming who has been in excellent form since joining George Boughey’s yard, consistently running well.
He wasn’t disgraced in the Royal Hunt Cup earlier this season but perhaps isn’t the most well-handicapped horse in the race, 6lbs higher than when he last won.
If he is able to deal with this higher mark of 97 however, he could be able to run into the places under William Buick who is performing at a 35% strike rate.
THE CONDITIONAL 