Aweedram (Alan King)
This is the horse that was controversially withdrawn by the stewards before last year’s Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot having thrown Andrea Atzeni off his back on the way to post – an incident which angered connections as they believed he was withdrawn too quickly.
Since then he disappointed at Yarmouth and was then campaigned over a mile and a quarter – once finishing third at Doncaster, but beaten at least six lengths on every occasion.
Possibly, he’s best at a mile and the handicapper has given him a chance, returning him to a mark of 86. That is only only 2lb higher than when he won at Ascot last May.
Celtic Art (Oliver and Paul Cole)
This strong-looking colt could rock up in a Classic trial for joint-licensees Oliver and Paul Cole who were enjoying a fine start to the 2020 campaign before racing was curtailed.
Well beaten on his racecourse bow last July – which is akin to a five-year-old having their first day at school – he was second in maidens at Goodwood and York before returning to the former venue and breaking his maiden at long odds-on in a three-runner heat.
Stepped up to a mile Listed race at Deauville, where he encountered heavy ground for the first time on his last start in October, he stayed on like a train in the final furlong to finish a four length second to Tammani. Given 10 furlongs and a quick surface, he could be a pattern or high-class handicap performer.
Do You Love Me (Karl Burke)
The one unraced horse in this list, this €3.2 million yearling could be one for the Oaks and Middleham magician Karl Burke, who masterminded the career of multiple Group 1 winner Laurens, clearly thinks the world of her as she still possesses an entry in the Derby.
A daughter of Galileo, who himself won the Derby, Irish equivalent and King George in 2001, she is bred in the purple. While it is obviously very early days and she has to go exhibit her talents in a maiden first, she also has an entry in the Kerrygold Irish Oaks, so connections clearly have classic pretensions.
Far Above (James Tate)
The dogs were barking about this fellow before he made his debut at Newmarket last season and he didn’t let his supporters down prevailing by a head from Franz Kafka.
He then disappointed in the King Charles II Stakes at the same venue, but was a different proposition the next time when back to six furlongs, comfortably scoring by five lengths at Windsor before landing a Listed race in Deauville over the same trip in July.
Five or six furlongs probably come alike to him given he was clear over a furlong out at Windsor and you’d expect to see him line up in one of the big Royal Ascot sprints.
Khaloosy (Roger Varian)
This is one of those horses that fits firmly into the ‘could be anything’ category having pi**ed up in an extended mile Wolves novice stakes last November by four and a half lengths from Summit Reach.
The step up in trip seemed perfect as he’d found one rival too powerful on his racecourse debut previously over seven furlongs at Newcastle.
Varian was tutored by professional’s professional Michael Jarvis and wouldn’t enter horses for Classics lightly. He’ll probably be more of a Derby animal than Guineas one and is currently a 50/1 poke with Paddy for the blue riband at Epsom.
No Nonsense (David Elsworth)
This Acclamation colt hasn’t been seen since being well beaten in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but before that he appeared to have inherited plenty of his dad’s speed – finishing second to Calyx in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes at the same venue in May.
That last effort was over seven furlongs and while he may get it this year having strengthened up as a four-year-old, perhaps his best trip is six as after finishing fourth on his racecourse debut, he’s won twice over that distance and put up that fine effort against Calyx.
As far as ground goes, he clearly likes the Kempton polytrack where he’s unbeaten in those two runs. e encountered fast ground when running well at Ascot, but his ability to handle soft has still to be proven.
Summer Moon (Mark Johnston)
This fellow probably benefitted from a high draw in last season’s Cesarewitch in which the first three were drawn 20 or higher, but nevertheless it was a very decent effort to finish third in that marathon handicap as a three-year-old.
He was seen one more time when a disappointing well beaten last of four in a Newbury conditions stakes and the trainer’s rep was unable to offer any explanation for his performance.
But, it could well be that outing, less than two weeks after Newmarket, came too soon. He’ll have to improve quite a bit to become a Cup horse, but he could be very competitive in the major long-distance handicaps with the Ebor looking a possible target.
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