By Charlie McCann
Charlie Hills‘ Kiysohi kicked-off the Friday‘s of last year’s meeting by routing a strong field in last year’s Albany Stakes and Wesley Ward’s Sunset Glow (2.30) can hopefully do so likewise, bidding to emulate stable-mate Hootenanny’s emphatic win in the Windsor Castle Stakes in the last on Tuesday.
Sunset Glow was second on debut but made amends in style at Belmont Park on her next start and with blinkers on for the first time, as was the case with Hootenanny, the Exchange Rate filly can get the better of David Evans’ Patience Alexander who had her York win franked by Tiggy Wiggy’s excellent run behind Anthem Alexander in the Queen Mary on Wednesday.
Ward’s runners tend to be some of the fittest thoroughbreds in racing, the American handler conceding that he ‘trains them like older horses‘ hence their conditioning. Such training methods have reaped excellent results for the trainer; No Nay Never’s success in both the Norfolk Stakes and the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville a testament to his methods.
Just the Judge (3.05) hinted at something of a revival when third last time out at Epsom and looks well treated to return to winning ways when stepped up to ten furlongs for the first time in the Wolferton Handicap.
Despite clearly hating the undulations of Epsom and a return she ran an excellent race to finish third and the return to a fairer surface should see her much better light, providing jockey Jamie Spencer can get across from stall thirteen.
This is the fillies’ first start in a handicap however her official rating has come down to 108, a pound higher than win chasing home Sky Lantern in the 1000 Guineas in the spring last year; she looks primed for a big run.
Another one that failed to handle the camber at Epsom was Western Hymn, who lost his unbeaten record when finishing sixth in the Derby and although John Gosden‘s colt is expected to bounce back in the King Edward VII Stakes, preference lay with Adelaide (3.45) for the team of Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.
Adelaide looks to have been laid out for this race and was impressive last time out at the Curragh; the Galileo colt looks the ideal type to continue improving especially over the mile and a half trip.
Last year’s renewal of the Coronation Stakes brought both English and Irish Guineas winners together and whilst Lightning Thunder is respected having chased home both Miss France at Newmarket and Marvellous at the Curragh, this year’s renewal looks a wide open affair.
Kiyoshi had both Sandiva and Lucky Kristale in behind when winning the Albany last year but all three look vulnerable over the stiff mile, whereas John Oxx’s My Titania (4.25) looks sure to improve stepped up in trip and gets the nod on her seasonal beau.
The Sea the Stars filly has missed both Guineas engagements this season however her 2-y-o form has worked out well and she gets the nod to give the master trainer his first win at the Royal meeting since Azamour’s success in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes in 2005.
Leading Light used the Queen’s Vase to pave the path towards classic success in the St Leger and the same route could be mapped out for stable-mate Century however John Gosden’s Marzocco (5.00) looks the ideal type to progress now stepped up in trip and gets the nod after an excellent second to Roger Charlton’s Observational last time out at Goodwood.
Neil Callan made full use of the plumb draw in stall 32 aboard Lightning Cloud to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes in the closing seven furlong handicap and David O’Meara’s Watchable (5.35) should be able to do similar from stall 25.
The 4-y-o won a maiden at Ayr before running with credit in handicaps in soft ground handicaps Goodwood and Ripon. He looks open to progression and upped in trip on better ground should see him go close to giving the trainer a first success at the Royal meeting.
For all the latest odds head to BetVictor.com
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