Richmond Stakes Guide 2021

Heading the early markets for Alan King is Showcasing colt Asymmetric.

A novice victory at Goodwood over 6 furlongs saw him beat Mojomaker and he backed that up quickly to defy his penalty at short odds at Newmarket only two weeks later.

We last saw the 2 year old in Group 2 company when going down narrowly to Lusail over 6 furlongs at Newmarket. Asymmetric was unlucky not to catch Lusail before the line as he was relentlessly making up ground.

It’s a smart piece of form and he had Ebro River a length and a half behind.

He’s won on good to soft but bottomless ground is unknown.

Richard Hannon’s 2 year old Gubbass won handily on his racecourse debut then winning over the minimum trip at Leicester in novice company.

Gubbass was well fancied for a tilt at the Super Sprint Stakes and he obliged backers to get top late.

He shaped like he’d certainly get further than 5 furlongs at Newmarket and was doing his best work late on, so a shift up to 6 furlongs shouldn’t be too much of a concern.

It will pay to keep in mind he’s only won on rattling fast ground so it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to act on deep ground here.

He looked impressive against a big field in the Super Sprint Stakes and will likely still have a little bit of improvement in him.

Last seen winning the Norfolk Stakes at Ascot, Perfect Power got up at the death last month to beat Go Bears Go to Group 2 honours.

The form has worked out well since with Go Bears Go winning the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

Despite being beaten on debut, he ran well and was a creditably 3rd to Royal Aclaim at Newcastle.

He was a short priced favourite for his next run and easily won over 5 furlongs at Hamilton on rattling fast ground.
He was gritty to beat Go Bears Go and the form has worked out well since.

He stayed on strongly in the Norfolk Stakes so will likely get 6 furlongs but again slow ground is an unknown.

Quite highly tried already, this 2 year old for Hugo Palmer has already churned out five times this season.
Debuting over 5 furlongs at Newmarket, he showed promise but found himself 6th of 8 runners.

He quickly left his debut behind by racking up a quick double. Cutting through soft ground twice over 5 furlongs at Doncaster and Sandown.

The latter run being a listed race that he took with ease. He struggled on rattling fast ground in the Coventry Stakes and the July Stakes since, however.

The move up to 6 furlongs probably not being the issue but the underfoot conditions just saw him outpaced.

With the ground being softened by the rain, he’s much more likely to get competitive.

Clive Cox saddles Caturra here off the back of a listed win over 6 furlongs at Newbury recently.

Unable to win on debut as favourite over 5 furlongs, he got off the mark at the second time of asking when winning on good to soft ground at Bath with ease.

Outpaced on quick ground in the Coventry Stakes last month at Ascot, he dropped in grade to win a listed race narrowly just under two weeks ago.

The form of his last run has yet to be tested and he enjoyed slightly softer going when breaking his maiden back in May.

He might not want the bog that Goodwood has become and also might just not quite be of group quality.

Hollie Doyle takes the ride on Richard Fahey’s Khunan here.

Another 2 year old who’s gained plenty of experience this season with five runs and a win already.

Breaking his maiden at Ripon over the minimum trip, he was beaten narrowly in his next two runs, including a soft ground 6 furlongs attempt just behind Angel Bleu. That form took a boost with Angel Bleu winning at Goodwood Tuesday.

Last seen finishing behind Perfect Power in the Norfolk Stakes, the drop win trip on fast ground was too big an ask.

Soft ground and back to 6 furlongs should bring him back to his best and that run behind Angel Bleu has worked out well.

Just out battled on debut by Bosh at York over 6 furlongs, Gis A Sub got off the mark for Kevin Ryan in a class 2 conditions race at the end of last month.

The form hasn’t worked out terribly with Sam Maximus coming 3rd and then repeating that to finish 3rd in the July Stakes just behind Asymmetric.

Having only been seen twice he’s not gained an official handicap mark but improved nicely to win when last seen.

He’ll improve again for that outing but has to find bundles to get involved in a deep looking group race.