Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes Guide 2021

An uneaten 3 year old for William Haggas, Baaeed has slowly risen through the ranks with a trio of easy wins so far.

An easy win on debut at Leicester over a mile in early June was backed up with ultimate ease at Newmarket despite his penalty.

A 7.5 length demolition job earmarking him as something truly special.

Stepping up to listed company for his last run he took the move up in grade in his stride and brushed aside four rivals to an easy wide margin success.

He looks absolutely bomb proof and sets the clear standard on paper, the one to beat.

Roger Varian is represented by a son of Lope De Vega, a winner on his sole 2 year old appearance, El Drama was then put away until returning in listed action in March.

He ran well on comeback over 7 furlongs but struggled to get competitive. He did secure listed honours at Chester when moved up to 10 furlongs for the first time, beating Maximal.

Kept at 10 furlongs for his last two runs, he finished down the field in the Prix de Jockey Club before coming last of the 4 runners in the Coral Eclipse.

Not disgraced in the Eclipse, he simply wasn’t up to group 1 quality so will appreciate this step back in grade.

Not guaranteed that the drop back to 1 mile is ideal however.

P J McDonald takes the ride on Rhythm Master for Richard Fahey.

A smart sprinter as a 2 year old, he absolutely bolted up on debut before a string of valiant efforts in group races. Coming 3rd to Campanelle and Alkumait before being put away for the rest of the year.

Coming back this season in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury he ran well to blow away the cobwebs to finish 6th.

He improved for that outing by coming 4th in the Jersey Stakes at Ascot. Running on well late, he hinted that going further would certainly suit.

He’s well worth a go at a mile and cut through soft ground with ease at Royal Ascot last month.

Coming over from Ireland for Aidan O’Brien, Khartoum made his seasonal comeback in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket in April.

The colt was too fresh and struggled to settle at the front, pulling his chances away and fading into last of the 10 runners.
He left that behind when winning a handicap at Naas on his next start on soft ground over a mile a month later.

Dropped in trip for the Jersey Stakes at Ascot last month, he was grossly outpaced on fast ground over the shorter trip and settled in 10th.

Last seen in listed company, he was narrowly touched off by Fourhometwo over a mile at the Curragh.

He’s got form on soft ground and a mile currently looks his optimum, not one to be written off lightly.

Sir Mark Todd saddles Tasman Bay here off the back of an impressive 2nd in the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot last month.

He was just unable to live with Alenquer’s relentless stamina.

It was his first attempt at 12 furlongs, having been running over a mile and 10 furlongs so far this season. A run in a novice race over a mile on the all weather on seasonal return yielded an impressive victory but he’s struggled to back that up with another win since.

Beaten by Hurricane Lane over 10 furlongs, it's important to note he was behind Maximal who looks to be a cornerstone of form in this race.

Kept at 10 furlongs for a try at listed company, he ran well again but couldn’t quite go with John Leeper in the closing stages.

He looked lethal over a mile at the start of the season so should be suited by the step back in trip and grade. Heavy ground was no problem at Ascot and he might just have a big run in him.

A group 2 winning juvenile for Andrew Balding in the colours of the Queen, Tactical made the perfect start to life as a 3 year old when winning a listed handicap at Newmarket in April.

His relentless late effort saw him get there just in time over 7 furlongs so it looked a strange move when connections dropped him to 6 furlongs at Newbury afterwards. The move didn’t pay off with him being beaten by Creative Force easily.

Stepping back up in trip to 7 furlongs last month at Ascot, he was easily seen off by Creative Force again and came 7th in the Jersey Stakes.

He looks all pace and soft ground probably isn’t his ideal but the manner in which he won at Newmarket suggests that 1 mile is well within his reach.

Marcus Tregoning and William Buick team up with Perotto here. Returning as a 3 year old for this season, he was initially tried over sprinting trips but was finding himself outpaced.

Moved up to 7 furlongs here at Goodwood in early June and took to the extra distance well to win by a narrow margin.

He moved up in trip again for a run at Royal Ascot and won the Britannia Stakes under Oisin Murphy with a devastating turn of foot from the rear of the field.

A mark of 101 seemingly weighed him out of the Bunbury Cup when last seen and he looks ready to transition into group company now.

Going back to a mile will suit but he’s yet to win on slow ground, maybe be cautious around him on rain softened ground.

This filly has only managed to get 3 runs under her belt so far for George Baker.

Debuting at Lingfield over 5 furlongs on the all weather at the start of the year, she ran creditably for her first outing but left that well behind when winning with utmost ease over 6 furlongs a few weeks later.

She was given a break from racing and came back in June at Newmarket over 7 furlongs to defy her penalty in a novice race.

Giving weight and a beating to a large field was a smart bit of form and the 2nd has boosted the race by winning since.
She’s only rated 89, but has improved at a rate of knots and doesn’t have many miles on the clock.

Improvement could be endless if she can handle slow turf for the first time in her career.