Thirteen three-year-old colts and one three-year-old filly are hoping to be troubling the judge at the end of the ten furlongs: Maftool: well beaten in the Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) last time prior to which he won the UAE 2000 Guineas (for which he is penalised) and was runner-up in the UAE Derby at Meydan. Master Apprentice: won a four-runner Sandown Group 3 race over ten furlongs beating Cape Clear Island on seasonal bow and now has to concede that rival four pounds for half a length. Cape Clear Island: won valuable sales race on seasonal bow but well beaten in Prix Du Jockey Club latest and fitted with blinkers for first time here. Disegno: beaten in photo by Not So Sleepy in Listed Dee Stakes last time and third on seasonal bow in Feilden Stakes behind runner-up Peacock. Don Camillo: Runner-up in mile-and-a-half Dundalk polytrack handicap latest so significantly more required here. Faithful Creek: finished behind Peacock last time in Listed race at Newmarket and well beaten in UAE Derby at Meydan leaving much more to find here. Librisa Breeze: long odds on winner of Lingfield polytrack maiden but not seen since March and significantly more needed. Mustadeem: runner-up to Peacock in Newmarket Listed race latest after being well beaten in Feilden Stakes on seasonal debut, again behind Peacock. Nafaqa: finished fourth behind Peacock in Newmarket Listed race last time after finishing remote fourth in Dante Stakes behind Golden Horn. Not So Sleepy: won four runner ten furlong Listed Dee Stakes on soft ground beating Disegno and has never raced on quick ground in three career starts. Peacock: won ten furlong Newmarket Listed race last time having previously followed home Golden Horn in the Feilden Stakes. Restorer: making seasonal debut but was well beaten behind Elm Park in the Racing Post Trophy on final juvenile start and was also runner-up in the Autumn Stakes. Time Test: impeccably bred; won ten furlong London Gold Cup (three-year-old handicap) last time in progressive style and steps up in class here. Bocca Baciata: staying on fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas behind Pleascach last time but won the Salsabil Stakes over this trip on seasonal debut. On a couple of form lines this term, Peacock has the beating of half the field and should go well for Her Majesty. Will Cape Clear Island improve for the fitting of blinkers? Time Test could be up to the step up in class but the filly Bocca Baciata comes here with Classic form and should give a good account of herself.
Quite a race, and Time Test proved himself as good as he was reported to be before he ran last year. I'm really pleased for Charlton as he took on a big responsibility training this colt, as I'm sure if Cecil was still around he'd have got him. Charlton said he was a bit immature as a 2yo and needed to grow up. Well he's certainly done that. Juddmonte have a yearling full-sister to Time Test and then full-brother foal. No idea who Passage of Time was sent to this year. I always felt Passage of Time was the horse that announced Cecil's return to the big-time in 2006. Lady Cecil trained Time Test's half-sister Curved (by Oasis Dream) but she wasn't up to winning anything. If Juddmonte still have her I'd think a trip to Dubawi will be pencilled in one day. Lady Cecil had also trained PoT's other produce Retirement Plan who scored 3 times. There is a 2yo full-sister to Curved out there somewhere, but as far as I can see unnamed or dead. I am really glad for Charlton as I think him a wonderfully straight trainer. He's straight talking and he hasn't been shy to voice his disappointment at losing one of Juddmonte's last year when Sea Defence was surprisingly sold to Hong Kong. He obviously really rated him. He's run twice out here and won both times. He's also becoming a bit of a specialist at training Dubawis. (No Dubawi 2yos this year but his best bred Abdullah 2yos look to be Scamper [by Oasis Dream out of Wince] and Banham [an Exchange Rate brother of Sea Defence]).
Actually Charlton has another Dubawi 3yo called Ooty Hill, whom I thought would prove something this year. He has an unnamed 2yo half-brother to his other Dubawi star, Al Kazeem, who is by Dubawi's son Makfi.
It is not inconceivable that Time Test will turn out to be up to contesting the top Group 1 prizes as this year’s Classic generation so far do not look like a vintage bunch. There is still plenty of the season left and Golden Horn could go on improving just like Sea The Stars did. I wonder if Time Test might be heading over to the Irish Derby as he did not appear to be stopping, did not have a hard race and the current favourite for the race is another ex-handicapper. I expect they would have to supplement him and the race is only a week away, which is unfortunate timing as it is not much help to whoever wins the King Edward VII either.
