Four winning favourites in the last ten renewals and although this is a yearling sale stakes, it has produced some top class winners including Tasleet last season for William Haggas who went on to win in Group company and was the third race winner in a row for the stable, though he hasn’t got an entry this season so won’t be able to pull off the four fold in 2016. Top weight today looks all set to be carried by Richard Hannon’s Legendary Lunch (14/1) who has an extra five pounds courtesy of his Listed race win at Epsom when he took the Woodcote Stakes by a nose from Danielsflyer with the pair of them two lengths clear of the third with the rest string out behind. The son of Dragon Pulse has since been well-beaten in the Group Two Norfolk Stakes on soft ground over five furlongs at Royal Ascot and more worryingly at Newbury when seventh of eight in another Listed race, beaten close to ten lengths at the line, and although he is obviously pretty decent the added weight today ought to take away from his chances even with Pat Dobbs in the saddle.
We prefer the chances of Danielsflyer (10/1 Each Way) here as David Brown’s son of the speedy Dandy Man looks to reverse recent form with the top weight on five pounds better terms for a nose which is more than just a possibility. Prior to that he had won his maiden at Ayr very impressively from Northern Thunder who has gone on to win twice since, franking the form, and with more improvement coming race on race and Phillip Makin back in the saddle, he looks rock solid each ay and for us the most likely winner as well.
Meanwhile, the Mark Johnston juggernaut just keeps on rolling and he has multiple winner Miss Infinity (10/1) in here as she looks for her fourth win of the season on just her sixth start. Two novice event wins at Ayr and Haydock followed a debut third to the very classy Fair Eva, while her last race was a Listed race win at Vichy that added to the prize money, and as she seems to have the class and the speed she certainly deserves her place in any race preview for a tricky looking contest.
Northern trainer Ann Duffield will be looking for a huge run from Rainbow Mist (7/1) who arrives with some decent course form last time out, all be it over a furlong shorter. Carrying plenty of weight in a nursery last month, he was brought to the front at the furlong pole before quickening away for a two and a quarter length success that was visually impressive, and as he is bred to get a mule or more next season the extra furlong here may even bring further improvement. P J McDonald will ride the son of Lilbourne Lad as always and although he is not in the care of a Stoute or a Hills etc, that only means a better price and he could well pull off a surprise if he gets the luck in running he will need, with his racing style just asking for traffic problems.
To end with, Henry Candy has finally struck form after a poor season outside of the big sprints of course, and he has Angel Down (16/1) in here as a lively outsider for those who like a riskier option. After two runs not worth writing home about he struck to make it third time lucky at Windsor with a very comfortable maiden win and if he goes on form there, he could run a much better race than his silly odds suggest.