Shaped well on return and will enjoy the ground
He didn't run up to his best in this race last season but he clearly has his chance on his peak efforts - I rode him when he won over 2m at Sandown last summer, and a reproduction of that run would make him competitive here - and he shaped well in a Wolverhampton handicap on his return last week. Whether he finds this trip on the short side now, we shall see, but he will enjoy the ground and he has held his form when backed up quickly in the past.
Definite chance at her best
Grade 1 winner Wild Beauty looks the form stand-out going into this race, but my filly has definite chances in here at her best. In fact, she beat Wild Beauty by a length in the Sweet Solera on the July course and she didn't run up to that level in the Rockfel - I rode her there - and the Fillies' Mile afterwards. This race is all about who has made the most progress over the winter though, and their state of readiness, and we are all guessing on that front.
Needs to improve but the potential is there
He has a bit to find with the form horses, but Richard seems to have his horses in fair order and there are positives with him. He is a course winner on quick ground, he was a close third in the Richmond afterwards and he wasn't beaten far by Perfect Power in the Morny. He clearly needs to improve, but the potential is there if he is tuned up for this.
Tough task but he has decent form at the trip
It looks like connections said the ground was too quick for him when he disappointed on his final start at Goodwood, so the watering they have been doing at Newbury is in his favour. This is a tough task off 106, but he is only 3lb higher than when winning a valuable handicap at York last summer and he does have decent 1m form too, including on his reappearance last year.
Well-bred filly has a good a chance as any
He looks to have shaped promisingly in a Sandown maiden that worked out pretty well last summer, and this Kingman half-brother to the stable's Fillies Mile winner Quadrilateral looks to have as strong a claim as any in this maiden, albeit one which is obviously full of unraced and unexposed rivals.
Good pedigree but he will improve for the run
He has a good pedigree, being a Time Test half-brother to our smart Bay Bridge, and he has been pleasing us in his work. However, the usual comments apply with our newcomers, and he will improve for the experience. It was encouraging that we had a similar type run well at Newmarket earlier in the week, though.
Better ground could suit
These are different conditions to those that saw him finish a promising second in heavy ground at Leicester last season. I don't know how strong that form is, but he has experience, he has a decent pedigree and this better ground could suit him, clearly.