Potential to improve with stamina his forte
He was also in the Autumn Stakes over a mile on the card, but he clearly stayed very well when winning over an extended 1m at Wolverhampton last time and stamina could well be his forte, as his pedigree suggests. This Golden Horn colt will clearly need to improve to win here but the potential is there.
Nostrum the right Dewhurst fav but don't rule out my ride just yet
I think you all know how much I rate Nostrum, and he did everything right when beating good horses here last time, and I also have a lot of time for the same owner's Chaldean, on whom I won the Acomb. Throw in the likes of Naval Power and, in the even in the absence of Sakheer, we look to have a very good Dewhurst.
I suppose my colt Aesop's Fables is on something of a recovery mission after his run in the National Stakes last time, but he clearly didn't run badly there and it was just a case that he didn't quite fire as he did as when winning at the Curragh previously. Perhaps the expected better ground will suit him here and, if so, he is certainly not one I would be writing off just yet. Nostrum looks the right favourite, though.
Trip no problem and could still be on a good mark
I won on her twice earlier in the season, and I was very impressed by her on the second occasion in particular, winning as she liked from a horse who has since gone on to win twice.
She is 10lb higher than that win in mid-May and we haven't seen her since - I don't know why, maybe they have just been patient with her, with this race in mind - but I'd like to think she has a big chance here.
Ideally, I think she could do with a drop of rain, as she will appreciate some dig, but I feel she will cope with the trip and a mark of 96 could still underplay her talents.
Step back in trip no problem
He went up 3lb for a defeat over a mile at Kempton last time but he was beaten by a well-fancied winner and they were clear of the third, so that is probably fair enough. The step down to 7f is clearly no problem and he has his chance.
Needs to up her game but she has place claims
She looks to run to a pretty consistent level, and finished a good third in this grade at Ayr last time. She will need to up her game to win this against higher-rated opposition but she has each-way claims if running her race again.
Should go well if running up to form
Even at the age of seven, he probably wasn't that far off his best at Windsor last time. Maybe not at his best admittedly, as he finished third in an Eclipse a few years ago, but he did really well to beat Grocer Jack and Royal Champion in that Group 3.
The 3lb penalty he picked up for that win obviously makes life tougher - even the small penalties can make a big difference in these races - but if he runs up to form then he should be competitive still.