On Future Champions Day at HQ, the form pick in the opening Zetland Stakes must be Royal Lodge runner-up
Sydney Opera House, although he was the stable’s third string that day in a Ballydoyle clean sweep. His stablemate
Norway, easy winner of a mile maiden at Naas when the stable’s second string, cannot be discounted with Seamie Heffernan keeping the ride. Last term, the subsequent St Leger winner was victorious here.
Waldstern, from the Gosden yard that know a thing or two about Leger winners, is not easily ignored after being beaten at odds-on by Kadar last time.
The opener could provide useful clues for later as the Autumn Stakes features
Kadar, conqueror of Waldstern on debut and sticking to the mile in this Group 3. Ballydoyle are represented by three and the jockey booking suggest Naas maiden race winner
Magna Grecia is the most fancied ahead of the more experienced
Circus Maximus and
Western Australia. Kingman colt
Persian King travels over from France with a reputation and the odds reflect that and his trainer, not known for travelling just for fun.
Royal Lodge winner
Mohawk is one of three representing Aidan O’Brien (the five defectors from the five day declarations were all from Ballydoyle’s eight) but the most fancied is top-rated
Anthony Van Dyck, runner-up to Quorto in the National Stakes. On that occasion
Christmas and
Mohawk were both behind and the former appeared to be employed as pacemaker.
Too Darn Hot comes here unbeaten in three starts including the Solario Stakes and the Champagne Stakes. The impeccably-bred son of Dubawi won easily at Doncaster where something appeared to be amiss with his main market rival and is going to be hard to beat. Also coming here unbeaten is
SANGARIUS, ready winner of a listed race over the same trip the day before
Too Darn Hot, and looking the uncomplicated type that could find the improvement.
Advertise should acquit himself well here but the concern is the absence since winning the Phoenix Stakes in August.
No idea what slow old plodder is going to collect the Cesarewitch – surely it cannot be Aidan O’Brien’s blue blood as it would be ante post favourite for the 2019 Triumph Hurdle.
