LISTED ACHILLES STAKES GUIDE 2022

A quick rise through the ranks as a 3 year old saw Dragon Symbol improve at a rapid rate of knots. Winning a brace of novices over 6 furlongs, a low level handicap and finally a 5 furlongs conditions race.

He was just touched off by Rohaan in the Sandy Lane Stakes here before being first past the post in the Commonwealth cup, only to be demoted to 2nd for interference.

His form dipped thereafter for Archie Watson. A bold showing in a few group races has seen him placed but unable to win. A switch to Roger Varian didn’t immediately spark life into him but a drop in grade should help.

A decent 3 year old campaign saw Clarendon House garner success in low level handicaps with relative ease. Climbing from a rating of 87 to 99 and recording four wins along the way.

He returned to action this season with a close 2nd against Raasel at Goodwood before a try at group 3 level over in France. He shaped well enough to be 4th but looked to lack the quality to be effective at group level. He’s well worth a try at this grade but needs to prove he can step up from handicap ranks.

Hopefully a move to Julie Camacho’s yard brings about some improvement for Ainsdale after a disappointing campaign last season.

He’s not managed to notch a win since October of 2020 when winning a 6 furlongs conditions race on deep ground, but he has run well in defeat since. Notably a narrow defeat to Liberty Beach in a group 2 here at Haydock.

He’s certainly most at home on deeper ground and has run well here before. However 6 furlongs is more his trip and he needs plenty of rain to be at his best.

Atalis Bay showed some real promise as a juvenile and picked up three wins in his debut season for Marco Botti. He continued his progression as a 3 year old and scored at listed level before being well found out for quality in an open group 3.

His from took a dip towards the end of last season, a solid handicap run was followed by another poor showing at group level.

The 4 year old has switched yards for this season and returned to action last month with another beating at group level. Listed events are his level but he still has something to prove.

A highly promising 3 year old for Owen Burrows, a gelding operation brought Tabdeed on even more and he captured a group 3 event at 5.

He’s clearly had his problems with some large breaks between his runs but he managed to string together a full season last year and put in some bold showings at group 3 and listed level.

A recent move to Archie Watson hasn’t immediately seen improvement. Well beaten on comeback, he did shape a lot better last time out at listed level to be 3rd over 6 furlongs. Dropping in trip looks a smart move and he’s certainly got each way credentials.

A smart looking juvenile who took apart a novice race with ease, Nomadic Empire struggled to make the transition up into group and listed company off the back of that.

Last season he was only seen in handicaps and didn’t manage to gain a win until late September where he notched a tidy brace of handicap victories. Climbing to a mark in the low 100s has him weighted out of handicaps now so he’s worth a shot at this sort of level.

However he faded tamely last time out and needs a rattling fast surface to be at his best.

A debut winner as a 2 year old for Marcus Tregoning, Raseel wasn’t seen for almost a year after that and switched to the care of Michael Appleby.

He struggled to find his feet in the early parts of the season but during the Autumn went on a handicap winning spree where he captured 5 races in a row.

Although beaten on seasonal return, he defied a career high mark of 94 on his next outing and earlier this month went close off a mark of 101. Clearly still improving, a handicap mark of 101 is probably too stiff now so a switch to listed events make sense. He can certainly make his presence felt at this level.

A frustrating juvenile campaign saw Significantly record five 2nd places. Sent off at short odds on for low level novice events he found himself turned over both times. He didn’t win till the end of his 2 year old season.

He has also only managed to win once since. Taking a handicap at Ascot last season by a narrow margin. The rise from the handicapper saw him struggle in that company since and he hasn’t been able to make the transition up to listed or group level.

Well beaten on seasonal return, he needs to take a big step forward to get involved.

A 3 year old filly for Karl Burke, she quickly put a debut loss behind her to score emphatically over 6 furlongs in maiden company.

Swiftly moved up in grade off the back of that saw her struggle at group level over 6 furlongs but put in a bold showing over the minimum trip at listed level to only narrowly be denied. She gained her black type not long after when winning a listed sprint at York in style.

She’s since struggled to move up to group level and has been well beaten in a group 2 and most recently a group 3. Her recent run at Chantilly has hopefully sharpened her up and this drop in class will help.

Ed Walker’s charge has slowly grown into racing. Only winning a lowly novice auction event on her last start as a 2 year old, she spent the first part of her 3 year old season in low level handicaps.

Gaining success in handicaps and swiftly moving up in class and in ratings, she tried her hand in listed events at the end of the season but found herself just unable to get competitive.

At the start of this season she’s stuck with listed company, despite being well beaten on her seasonal debut she put in a career best last time out to only go down by a neck over 6 furlongs. Dropping in trip isn’t the obvious move but she arrives here in some form.

A highly experienced sprinter who started life over in Ireland with Joseph O’Brien. Unable to win for O’Brien, King Of Stars moved over to Michael Appleby and got off the mark at the second time of asking for new connections.

Some handicap success followed over the past couple of seasons. Climbing the ratings he’s still managed to be competitive and scored off a mark of 96 to round out last season with a very impressive performance.

Trying higher grades more recently has gone to plan. Beaten in conditions races, listed events over in Meydan and most recently a handicap. He’s terribly out of form and needs to bounce back to his best from last season to have a say here.