Group Two British Champions Long Distance Cup Guide 2022

Trueshan will have to bounce back after a couple of disappointing efforts. He was beaten at odds of 2/9f last time out by Coltrane in the Doncaster Cup, and there was a short head back to Lismore in third.

We all know Trueshan is capable of exponentially better than that. He has won the last two renewals of this impressively, he will be looking to make it three in a row.

He should be feared by all, likely getting suitable ground too.

Quickthorn was readily put away by the eye-wateringly impressive Kyprios at Longchamp a couple of weeks ago.

The ground was described as “Very Soft” there, and that may have been understating it – either way – it probably didn’t showcase Quickthorn to best affect.

He has won on heavy, but his preference seems to be a better surface. His level form throughout this season has improved with every run, as proven when winning the Lonsdale Cup at York by as many as 14L, making all.

He will be a danger if left unattended at the head of affairs.

Stratum probably ran too badly to be true last time out in the Doncaster Cup, he was 41L tailed off last, and that’s not cumulative, that was to the fifth, Get Shirty.

If he’s ok and that was just a throwaway run, he may well have an outside chance of running into a place.

He won the Queen Alexandra Stakes a Royal Ascot in June and it was a good race, he saw out the extended 2m5f trip well, and he has more stamina than most of these.

Coltrane has drastically improved this season, bettering his official rating of 97 that he had around this time last season. He’s definitely running to a figure somewhere between 110/115 which is pretty close to the top stayers in the division.

He’s still maturing and he took the scalp of Trueshan last time out over 2m2f in the G2 Doncaster Cup. On that form, he holds the measure of Trueshan, and that may well be the level needed to win.

Hugely interesting.

Wordsworth has failed to get his head back in front since his win at odds of 4/11f in April.

He has ran some solid enough races in defeat, but there’s always been a suspicion he’s just shy of the very top level. He stays the trip but Waterville looks the stables number one here.

Waterville is virtually unexposed as a stayer, he’s only raced six times, and just the twice over a trip of 2 miles or more.

He’s won both “long distance” races fairly convincingly, not by pulling lengths clear of the field, but in the manner he’s won.

He was last rounding the bend for home last time out in at The Curragh but he somehow managed to weave through and win decisively by a neck.

He is a serious threat to all.

Eldar Eldarov, the St Leger winner, is a hugely interesting horse here.He steps up to two miles for the first time in his career but when racing over a mile and three quarters he’s impressed in the latter stages of the race, looking better and better at the finish.

He gives the impression that the trip will be no issue, and as a classic winning horse who’s lifetime form reads as four out of five, he must be feared.

Trawlerman is looking for three on the bounce here, after an impressive summer. He won the Summer Handicap at Sandown well, and then bettered himself to win the hugely valuable Ebor Handicap at the Ebor Festival at York.

He won in determined fashion there, but he didn’t give the impression that he necessarily needs further. If he stays the trip he could be a player, but then there’s a class suspicion.