Getting on but still got it
This is a track he always goes well at, and he was third in the mile race on this card back in 2019 before going on to be placed in the Eclipse. I know he is getting on as an 8yo now but he wasn't that far off his best on a couple of occasions last year.
Hopefully he will give a good account of himself again - he wouldn't want it to get much softer - but, quite obviously, Adayar will take some stopping if anywhere near his best, and Anmaat is the improver, albeit one with a 5lb penalty.
Fair shot if rain holds off
This is a decent renewal but Potapova certainly has her chance getting the weight. She goes well fresh and her Atalanta Stakes win over course and distance last summer gives her a fair shot at this. Ideally, she would not want any more rain though.
Good prospect against strong rivals
I was impressed with him when he won for me at Salisbury last season and the bare form looks pretty decent, with the runner-up winning twice since and is now rated 90, while I rode the third to finish a nice second at Kempton earlier in the month.
We have been happy with him and hopefully this easier ground won't be a problem. He's a good prospect, but he is up against a few of those in here as well, and the likes of Arrest, Salt Bay and Flying Honours have proven Group-race form. Arrest is probably the one to beat.
Well-bred filly is leading chance
She was only touched off on her debut on soft at Doncaster at the back-end, and the winner has come out and finished a good second to a very promising horse of Andre Fabre's this season in a Group 3 at Saint-Cloud, a race in which I finished third.
She is a well-bred Sea The Stars filly and I'd be hopeful she will make up into a smart middle-distance filly this season, but this does look a very hot little novice to be kicking off in, even if we are getting 6lb from the winners, and it wouldn't be ideal for her if it was genuinely heavy. But she is probably my best chance of a winner on the day.