Gordon Stakes Guide 2021

Spearheading the market for Ballydoyle and Ryan Moore, Wordsworth only ran once as a 2 year old and came 2nd to stablemate High Definition, who was for a longtime regarded as a Derby candidate.

He returned to racing as a 3 year old and got off the mark over 10 furlongs with relative ease. Moving up into listed company saw him beaten by Sir Lucan over 13 furlongs.Sir Lucan just looked the more thorough stayer of the two.

He’s been busy since then and ran a creditable 2nd in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot behind Kemari.
He’s since been seen off twice by Hurricane Lane.

Once in the Irish Derby and then more recently in the Grand Prix De Paris, he’s run better since being dropped back down to a mile and a half so will likely play a major role here.

Dropping in class, he’s not been able to live with a really smart one in Hurricane Lane but certainly sets the standard in this lower grade race.

Charlie Appleby’s charge Yibir is prominent in the market for this after taking Group 3 success when last seen three weeks ago.

He managed to win both of his last two starts as a 2 year old and made his seasonal comeback in Group 3 company at Sandown.

He ran really well to be 3rd behind Alenquer and Adayar, with the latter going on to complete the Derby and King George double.

He struggled to kick on from that however, despite dropping in class he kept finding his rivals too good and would fold quite tamely at the business end of the race.

A gelding operation seems to have fixed whatever issue he was having and he bounced back with a dominant display over 13 furlongs at Newmarket to win a Group 3.

The form of his first run this season is rock solid and being gelded seems to have been the final piece in the puzzle. Interesting if carrying on his progression.

A son of Sea The Stars for Roger Varian, Third Realm rose to prominence this season when beating Adayar in the Derby Trial at Lingfield over 11.5 furlongs.

Beaten on his only run as a 2 year old, he immediately got off the mark at 3 when going over 10 furlongs. He beat the subsequent history making 3 year old Adayar on soft ground at Lingfield.

He ran well when last seen in the Derby but Adayar has matured with his racing this year and easily reversed the form with Third Realm.

Dropping back in grade will help and he had no problems with soft ground on his penultimate run. If replicating that form, he’ll surely go close.

The second string for Ballydoyle and Aidan O’Brien, Sir Lucan got the better of Wordsworth over 13 furlongs when the pair were last seen at Navan in a listed race in May.

Sir Lucan ran in the group 3 race that featured Yibir at Sandown but only managed a remote 8th of 10 runners.

The trip of 10 furlongs looking far too sharp for him on reflection, moving up in trip brought out the best in him and he managed to overhaul Wordsworth at Navan.

He’s not been seen since that listed success but the form has worked out well with Wordsworth running well since. He got the better of his stablemate but is around twice the price here.

A good option for those looking for an each way angle.

Johnny Murtagh brings over his 3 year old Ottoman Emperor off the back of securing a hat trick this season.

Beaten on debut over 10.5 furlongs at Dundalk back in late March, he’s since gone on a winning spree.

Taking his maiden on his first try on turf over 10 furlongs, he was shifted into handicap company and defied a mark of 90 to beat a small field.

Moving back into conditions company he again ran on well to overturn a favourite with relative ease.

He’s taken to racing really well and racked up an easy sequence of wins. He’s only encountered fast ground on turf however and this move up in grade will ask him another stern question.

Tom Marquand takes the ride on Youth Spirit for Andrew Balding here after a tame effort in this year’s Derby.

He won a maiden as a 2 year old before going on to be 3rd in the Vintage Stakes in his last run as a juvenile.

He performed well here last year but was left behind by Battleground and Devious Company.

Coming back after a 259 day break at Newmarket in mid April, the trip of 9 furlongs looked far too sharp and he was outpaced by his rivals to come home in 4th.

Moved up in trip for his next run in the Chester Vase Stakes, Tom Marquand gave him a peach of a ride to secure Group 3 success with relative ease. Cut in the ground was no issue and he loved going up to 12.5 furlongs.

Winning a Derby trial, he rightfully went for the Classic at Epsom but found the race far too hot and wilted back into 8th of 11 entrants.

Dropping in grade will help and he’s proven at the trip on softer ground.

A very prolific runner for Ralph Beckett, Aleas has won 4 of his 6 career outings.

Beaten a neck by Belloccio on debut last October, he went down swinging and confirmed the promise shown when winning his next two runs of the season.

Put away for 173 days, he came back on bottomless ground in early may to a devastating victory by nearly 10 lengths over a mile at Haydock.

He tried to back that effort up after 13 days but found a run in listed company coming too soon and he was well beaten behind Lone Eagle here at Goodwood.

Given some time to freshen up, he dipped his toe into listed company again and just got the better of Title over 11 furlongs.

It wasn’t the deepest of listed races and he seems to perform best when given a decent break between his races.

Churning out again after 13 days might leave a mark on him, especially with the ground being taxing.

David Menuisier’s Belloccio looked an exciting prospect last season when beating Aleas on debut and then sealing listed honours in Toulouse.

Returning this season he’s struggled to get competitive in a string of three group races. Coming 5th at Sandown behind Yibir in the Classic Trial, he was then well beaten in the Dante at a massive price behind Hurricane Lane.

Stepped up to 12 furlongs for his most recent outing he was easily turned away by Alenquer again despite getting his favoured deep ground at Ascot.

Coming home last of the 6 runners looks like it's left his season majorly derailed and he needs a big performance to get anywhere near this field.

Although he has deep ground in his favour he needs to bounce back to his 2 year old best.