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Diego Velazquez impressed Ryan at Curragh
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Auguste Rodin can win if he finds Epsom form
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Adelaide River has favourite's chance
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I haven't ridden her in a race before but more forcing tactics served her well when winning here last time from a well-backed newcomer in Apricot Ice, who re-opposes again. A daughter of Galileo and Mecca's Angel, hopefully she can progress again, as she will need to be winning what looks a strong Listed race. She has a good chance, though.
Democracy brings a decent level of form to the race but it is fair to say our once-raced maiden winners Capulet and Diego Velazquez have more potential. The Justify colt Capulet did it well at Dundalk but I ride Diego Velazquez, who impressed me no end when winning over 7f at the Curragh.
He took a while to know what was required there but the finish to his race was the best part, and the Frankel half-brother to Broome and Point Lonsdale will relish the mile trip here, and further down the line. There are some decent colts in here though, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.
The ratings tell you Homeless Songs and Tahiyra are the two to beat, with the 3yo probably the stand-out, and you can't really argue with that, for all there are plenty of Group race winners against them, and Group 1 winners in the case of Meditate and Prosperous Voyage.
We try Meditate in first-time blinkers after a below par run in the Prix Jean Prat last time, and the return to a mile and quicker ground will suit her.
I wouldn't be in a mad rush to rule out any of the nine here, and there is certainly no stand-out. King Of Steel probably deserves to head the betting given the way he beat our Voltigeur winner Continuous at Royal Ascot and backed that up with a good third in the King George. But don't forget Auguste Rodin, my ride here, beat him fair and square in the Derby and he showed a lot of speed to win that day.
My colt obviously has a big question to answer after his lifeless run in the King George, but if he returns to his Epsom form then he has a big chance. He is in very good shape for this. But you have to respect plenty in here, as I said, not least last year's 1-2 of Luxembourg and Onesto. The former is rock-solid, while the latter shaped very well over a mile on his return in the Jacques Le Marois and could be very dangerous.
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We have three in here, and all have a pretty similar chance. Victoria Road certainly boasts the best form of the trio courtesy of his Breeders' Cup win and you'd expect him to come on from his return behind Ace Impact at Deauville last month, though he will need to, while Alfred Munnings ran a decent race for me here last time. Salt Lake City got off the mark for the season at Killarney too. All have their plus points, but I ride the form horse Victoria Road. Buckaroo is an obvious danger.
I'd say he just about brings the best form to the table going into the race after his Irish Derby second and his runner-up effort behind a very good horse in Feed The Flame in the Grand Prix de Paris. It's quite a deep Group 3, though, and the progressive Valiant King could be troublesome after his second to Vauban last time. I think Adelaide River has a favourite's chance.
He won his maiden for me very well over this trip back in April and we have only seen him once since, when second over a mile at Naas in May, a race he was a little unfortunate not to win. His mark of 93 appears very fair and hopefully the first-time cheekpieces will help him too, but this is his first run back after a long break, so it's not an easy task.