Lockinge Stakes Big Race Verdict: Zeus to have his day for Burke and Lee

Lockinge favourite Damysus, and finally Appleby winners

Ten runners for Newbury's showcase Group 1, the Lockinge Stakes at 14:35, and a prime spot on ITV as we enter a magical period of Flat racing off the back of York's Dante meeting, and the first top level race for the older horses this weekend.

John and Thady Gosden's Damysus can be backed at 11/43.75, a steady price from the earlier antepost book from Tuesday and Zeus Olympios unmoved from the spot as second favourite at 10/34.33 but the big talking point over the past fortnight or so is the worrying drop off in form of Charlie Appleby.

Appleby's top cadet from the 2024 class Notable Speech under normal circumstances would have been talked of as the standout for this race as a Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner from 2024. A Timeform rating of 136 and an official rating of 122 - the best in the field.

Friday lunchtime, Appleby's last winner was at Sandown in April with Opera Ballo and is 0-19 as I write (things could change on Friday, and change they did with this hasty rewrite, as the trainer struck with two winners at Newmarket on Friday.

But York from Wednesday to Thursday was again miserable with three beaten, including Diamond Rain. Even his Oaks and Derby trial contenders from last week at Lingfield were both thumped, and both sent off 11/82.38 favourites. Has it swayed you to back another Appleby runner?

Notable Speech at 9/25.50 is a mega-tempter.

Damysus versus Zeus a clash to savour

Damysus and Zeus Olympios serves up a classic match-up in many ways, and Damysus after flopping in last year's Derby has got his career back on track down to a more suitable 9f and showed he has retained all of his ability and more into his four-year-old season with an emphatic performance in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton at Newmarket.

The win at HQ was a career best and the Timeform race rating of 123+ was a big step up from his final win in 2024.

The ground was officially good at Newmarket but it looked more good to firm on times and his turn of foot was far superior to anything else as he flashed home and barely looked like he had a race.

His overall time at 1m1f was faster than Morshdi's in the 1m1f Feilden (1.49.92 to 1m50.79) and with his burst of speed, the drop back to 1m doesn't look too much of an issue.

My only gripe is the Earl Of Of Sefton didn't look particularly hot. He was impressive under a penalty and Gosden senior said post-race: "It was a great way to come back and there wasn't a lot of early pace, but he is powerful and broad."

Not to be outdone on the flashy looks, Zeus Olympios really knocks your eye out and looks a miler exemplar from his three-year-old campaign.

He returned for the season at Sandown last month in the Bet365 Mile behind Opera Ballo and Field Of Gold, and with bigger targets for this race and Royal Ascot, that in truth looked a bit of a prep.

On Timeform ratings for this, he is top at 137p, a pound better than Notable Speech, and two clear of Damysus on 135p and is one of the most exciting colts in the field.

His turn of foot at Newmarket (when also overcoming trouble) was a joy to behold and he ran 12.05 seconds from last furlong to line, so his potent acceleration can match Damysus.

And he looks the most appealing of prices.

Will Aidan's Lion be roaring?

Mississippi River and The Lion In Winter represent Aidan O'Brien, who has gone through some lean years in the Lockinge with his last victory in 2018.

The Lion In Winter has everything with looks and the sire (Sea The Stars), but I've often been let down by him and while he got back on track last time at Leopardstown, the bare form of the race was no more than a prep at Listed level.

The time of his Leopardstown win was around a second-and-a-half faster than the fillies' maiden that day, but the ground was soft and I thought he was well drawn; as plenty at Leopardstown on 15th April were winning from high draws.

He's fit, but he hasn't quite looked the same horse as he was winning the Acomb as a youngster save for his run in the Prix De Moulin last season. Cheekpieces are also going to be applied for the first time.

Mississippi River needs to improve a lot, and at 100/1101.00, he'll be adopting the role of pacemaker presumably with a lack of speed to the race.

Graffard outsider at 9/110.00

You have to go a long way back to 2002 to find the last French winner in Keltos - and the challenge from across the channel comes from Sahlan 9/110.00 for Francis-Henri Graffard.

Graffard is fast becoming one of the world's elite now and Sahlan beat The Lion In Winter in last year's Moulin.

He has a little to find on Timeform ratings (7lbs to be precise with Zeus Olympios) although looked unlucky in the Moulin behind The Lion In Winter when short of room at a key stage.

Big Race Verdict

A superb renewal for this year's Lockinge and while John Gosden has a quality recent record in this Group 1 with three victories in five years, Zeus Olympios has the tools for this and looks the type to excel as a four-year-old.

If you like exciting trainer quotes, Karl Burke announcing a recent exhilarating piece of work is nice to hear, but gone are the days I put any faith in what gallops do or don't. From what I've seen, we've got a bang miler, a brilliant turn of foot and one that goes, nay thrives, on decent ground.

The draw shouldn't play too much of a part with the stalls down the centre as they tend to migrate towards the stands' side and at 10/34.33 looks the best bet.

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