Group Three Sagaro Stakes Guide 2022

Harry Haskell | @HarryHaskell4

Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
3(2)
Joe Fanning

Nayef Road

J: Joe Fanning
T: Charlie & Mark Johnston
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 9-2
OR: 107
Days: 46

Nayef Road is a very useful stayer, but he failed to fire on his seasonal reappearance, which is a worry – as he often runs well fresh.

If we ignore this run, we last saw him finishing last in Riyadh, which again is a concern. He has risks attached but he’s one of the more talented stayers in this field.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
12/03/22KEM16St/Slw9-84
26/02/22JAN15GF9-614
05/02/22KEM16St/Slw9-84
23/09/21NMK16Gd9-31
10/09/21DON18GF9-53
Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
1(1)

Calling The Wind

J:
T: Richard Hughes
N/A
Age: 6
Weight: 9-2
OR: 105
Days: 31

Much improved over marathon trips last summer, Calling The Wind is most certainly a horse on the up.

His first start this season at Doncaster was over an inadequate trip, so it’s best ignored, though he ran well to finish third.

Now upped in distance, he’s hard to dismiss if continuing to improve like last year. One to watch with a view to the future.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
04/08/23GOO20.5Sft9-129
01/07/23NCS16.5St/Slw9-41
20/06/23ASC20Gd9-82
12/05/23CHS18.5Sft9-46
11/03/23WOL16.5St9-64
Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
2(6)
William Buick

Enemy

J: William Buick
T: Ian Williams
N/A
Age: 5
Weight: 9-2
OR: 108
Days: 11

Enemy is only 5 but already quite the journeyman. He’s on this third stable switch, and it looks like Ian Williams has found the key, being extreme distances.

Enemy has done most of his racing between 7-12f, but upped in trip the last twice, he looks a different animal.

In the context of this race he’s very hard to assess, but he did it easily over 1m5 last time and he could be on an upward curve. Dangerous.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
09/09/23HAY14Gd9-133
26/08/23YOR14GF9-716
01/08/23GOO16GS9-1111
25/05/23SAN16Gd9-45
11/05/23CHS13.5Sft9-25
Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
4(5)
Tom Marquand

Quickthorn

J: Tom Marquand
T: Hughie Morrison
N/A
Age: 5
Weight: 9-2
OR: 108
Days: 21

A good second to Trueshan last time out, Quickthorn is evidently on the up. He’s only 5 and he’s relatively unexposed. He is a keen-going front-runner, and it’s likely he could get an uncontested lead here, which would spell danger to the rest of the field.

mpossible to dismiss for a trainer in red-hot form.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
01/08/23GOO16GS9-111
17/06/23YOR14GF9-21
19/05/23YOR14GF9-34
25/03/23MEY16Gd9-16
15/10/22ASC16GS9-95
Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
7(4)
J M Sheridan

Princess Zoe

J: J M Sheridan
T: Anthony Mullins
N/A
Age: 7
Weight: 8-13
OR: 113
Days: 60

Princess Zoe is a hugely popular mare, and she’s a high class mare too. However, the big question mark is the ground. She would like it much softer than the forecast ground, so this has to raise concern.

This could be a nice starting point – and she’s probably the best horse in the field, though Tashkan is on figures. Ground concerns but could class prevail?

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
09/04/23FAI20.5Y11-5PU
16/03/23CHL17Sft11-25
30/01/23PUN20.5Sft11-71
23/10/22LON15.5Hy9-14
01/10/22LON20VSft8-134
Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
6(7)
Ryan Moore

Wordsworth

J: Ryan Moore
T: A P O'Brien
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 9-0
OR: 110
Days: 20

He’s frustrating. Wordsworth is a hugely talented horse, though he’s not really learnt how to win! He’s won 2/9 and finished 2nd or 3rd five times.

He has run to a very decent level though and he has a fantastic pedigree, being a full brother to Kew Gardens, there could well be plenty more to come and he won first time out.

Definite chance for a bang in form operation.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
25/07/23BAL17Gd11-122
23/06/23DRO16Gd9-54
15/10/22ASC16GS9-96
25/09/22CUR16.5Y9-1313
24/06/22CUR14Gd9-113
Ascot - April 26 2022
Ascot 14:35
5(3)
Ben Robinson

Tashkhan

J: Ben Robinson
T: Brian Ellison
N/A
Age: 4
Weight: 9-0
OR: 116
Days: 193


Tashkan, who’s best run came in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day, when only going down by a length and a half to the mighty Trueshan at odds of 50/1.

Tashkan is another unexposed stayer who’s only had a handful of runs over extended distances, but he’s very talented, if he’s primed to go first time out he could give some of these some real work to do.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
01/08/23GOO16GS9-118
15/07/23YOR14GS9-03
30/04/23LON15.5VSft9-14
12/04/23NOT14Sft9-33
01/10/22LON20VSft9-23