Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes (Group 3)

Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 27 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

The Timeform team provide the low-down on tomorrow's race at Ascot.

Just five go to post for the latest running of this Group 3 and it looks set to be a highly tactical affair. Ask was successful in the race twelve months ago for Sir Michael Stoute and the St Leger-winning trainer has two representatives this time including the top-rated Galactic Star.

The five-year-old is without a win in almost a year following his quickfire hat-trick last season culminating with success in a listed event at Newmarket. He has got several creditable efforts to his name this season though, the most notable coming in a race which looks the key to solving this conundrum - the Group 3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood - for on that day, he was beaten a length by Sixties Icon, with Lion Sands a neck back in third. The form has worked out well, with two of the next four home winning next time out and with just 2 lb separating the trio that day (the winner ran to 118, the other two 116), the 3 lb penalty that Sixties Icon carries here could make all the difference.

The 2006 St Leger winner has thrived this year, his success in August preceded with victory in a listed race there in May, and he made it three wins from five starts with a hard-fought victory in the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury last month, digging deep to wear down Tempelstern close home. Despite having to give weight all round it's impossible to leave him out of calculations in this sort of mood.

Lion Sands has a bit to prove now, his two disappointing efforts since Goodwood possibly down first to the softer conditions at Newbury and then seeming to find the trip in the September Stakes an inadequate test. It's likely he'll need further if he's to make the breakthrough at this level.

The front-running Sugar Ray steps up to pattern class for the first time and it wouldn't be a total surprise were he to make an impact in this sphere. He gamely held off the challenge of Mad Rush to win the Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Meeting and although he was taken on for the lead on his next start he still ran creditably to finish eighth to Pippa Greene. He's tongue tied for the first time here.

The line-up is completed by Ajhar, who represents a trainer who excels in this race, having won it four times since 2001 with Nayef, High Accolade (twice) and Mubtaker. Like Sugar Ray he is relatively unexposed and his form is both solid and progressive. He's finished out of the first 2 just once in his career and he shaped like a horse not done with winning yet this year when successful in a handicap at Kempton last time, picking up strongly to beat Ascot Lime by a length and a quarter.