Superb yardstick for Jim Goldie over the years with some of his best wins coming in prior seasons when landing races like the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes and Group Three Pravha Stakes.
Now nine years of age he does not look for be the horse of old and showed that on seasonal debut at Doncaster when only beating one home in a Conditions Stakes over 1m4f.
He had only ever ran over two miles once before and did not perform well and he looks opposable in this field.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28/10/23 | DON | 10 | Hy | 9-9 | 4 |
| 07/10/23 | ASC | 12 | Gd | 9-6 | 4 |
| 21/09/23 | AYR | 10 | GS | 10-0 | 2 |
| 09/09/23 | HAY | 14 | Gd | 9-4 | 12 |
| 26/08/23 | YOR | 14 | GF | 8-13 | 4 |
A smart horse for the inform Andrew Balding over the years running well at the back end of last season over staying trips including placing in the Ebor at York and Listed Stand Cup Stakes at Chester.
Seen once to date this term in the Group Three Ormonde Stakes over 1m5f he was a fair third behind Hamish and Thunderous and it would take a career best for him to reverse the form with the second over a different trip.
Another with a lot to do going up to, two miles.
Outsider of the field who is known more for her exploits over hurdles than on the flat, being a superb jumps horses during her career, landing the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and last season started he term off with a Group Two success at Wetherby.
Seen on the flat only twice in her careers, she was seventh on the all weather at Lingfield in October 2020, but got off the mark at Pontefract in October last year over 1m5f.
She needs soft conditions and has down her best work over hurdles over bigger trips than this and she looks to have it all to do.
Andrew Balding's second runner in the race is the talented Nate The Great that will certainly handle the trip from a stamina point of view and might be slightly overpriced at 18/1.
Kept busy throughout this year already he has been seen five times, hitting the frame on the majority of his runs and his latest outing was his best run to date.
Sent to Newmarket over 1m6f in a decent Class 3 Handicap he went on to bolt up by seven lengths and having already won over this trip at Newcastle this season, he can't be ruled out.
One to watch.
Thunderous is a horse thriving of late for Charlie & Mark Johnston and now tackling two miles could improve again and is a big player in this.
As a two year old he landed a hat-trick of wins at Doncaster, Redcar and Newbury, with his final win coming in the Listed Denford Stakes.
Moved up in trip for his first start as a three year old He was second to Volkan Star in a Listed event and then went into the Group Two Dante at York and beat Highest Ground by a neck, in what was his best performance to date.
Not seen again until last year he struggled on seasonal debut in the Gordon Richard Stakes but then went on to finish four lengths back in third over 1m4f in the Jockey Club Stakes, second to Al Aasy in the Al Rayyan Stakes and fourth when last seen at Royal Ascot in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes.
That race last term turned out to be one of the form races of the season with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th all going on to place or win in some good races.
Being seen three times this term, he looked to need the run on debut over 1m4f at Newbury in the G3 Surprise Stakes, but was then a better second on nine at Chester in the G3 Ormonde Stakes behind Hamish.
Stepping up in trip again last time out he was only beaten by Stradivarius by 3/4 of a length in the G2 Yorkshire Cup and going up a further 2f, battling back in his last race, he could improve again.
Player.
Enemy could be tough to beat in this event if progressing for his two runs in the UK this term, where he has shown a different attitude for his step up in trip.
Being a smart horse over shorter trips in his career he now looks to be going over these sorts of trips and looks to have big improvement in him.
In February at Meydan in the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Trophy over 1m6f having his first try at the trip he was a good fourth of 15, finishing behind the smart Manobo.
Next seen in Scotland taking on 1m6f again he bolted up against a field of experienced runners in a good handicap event.
Deserving his chance in a better race he was last seen at Ascot in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes and getting a horrible passage in the race can count himself unlucky back in third.
Handling two miles well last time out and still being unexposed at the trip, he looks one of the more likely winners.
| Date | Course | Distance | Type | Weight | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/11/23 | KEM | 16 | St/Slw | 10-2 | 6 |
| 13/09/23 | STH | 12 | St | 9-13 | 9 |
| 09/09/23 | HAY | 14 | Gd | 9-13 | 3 |
| 26/08/23 | YOR | 14 | GF | 9-7 | 16 |
| 01/08/23 | GOO | 16 | GS | 9-11 | 11 |
Quickthorn for Hughuie Morrison heads into the event with a similar form line to Enemy, with very little splitting the pair last time and any rain falling at the Esher track would be a huge help to him.
A Royal Ascot winner over 1m4f on heavy ground last year, he started to make a name for himself, then finishing a good second in the Ebor Handicap York, but rounding off the season with two poor efforts in better company.
Back this term and looking to make the step up in trip to these sorts of races, he made a fair debut when three lengths behind Trueshan at Nottingham in a Listed event over 1m6f.
Up to two miles last time out he was a narrow second in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot behind Princess Zoe, beating Enemy by a neck.
Could go well.
A horse that has always threatened to be fairly good but has not always lived up to his potential and he might just find a few too good here.
Racing twice in Meydan this year he was sixth of 15 behind Enemy in the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Trophy and then last time out was well beaten in the Group Two Dubai Gold Cup.
Best watched.
The final runner in the race is the four year old John Leeper who could be an exciting runner now tackling this trip.
Once a Derby hopeful having won the Listed Fairway Stakes at Newmarket last term over 10f, he was then given a less than impressive ride in the Derby and only beat two home.
Off the back of that run he then underperformed in all three of his events last term, being well beaten in Listed and Group Three company between 10-12f.
Making his comeback this season in the Group Three Ormonde Stakes he may have needed the run but still ran respectably and going up a further few furlongs he could be interesting.
