Phoenix all set for Hot rematch
It was an impressive debut from the well-bred
at Goodwood. She wasn’t troubled to win by four-anda-half lengths and, though this is big step up in grade, she could be anything. has the best form. She was placed in both a Group One and Two last season but has not made the expected progress in three starts this campaign so
gets the nod. She looked good when winning her first two starts, particularly at Goodwood in a Group Three and unfortunately finished lame on her final outing. She has the scope to do a great deal better this season.
There will be interest in Yarmouth winner,
who is up 5lb for his comfortable success. He is clearly a leading player if handling the conditions. However,
has shown ability in the mud. That was at Nottingham, when he stayed on strongly to finish second over a mile and a quarter to suggest today’s extra distance would help.
has done nothing wrong in finishing in the frame on her last four starts. She has met trouble or been delivered too late and deserves a change of luck. The yard continues in fine form and she is one for the short list.
The conditions must be a concern for who ran his best race to date on grass when second on very fast ground at Bath. If handling the surface then he looks the main threat to
This hurdle winner will have no problems with the soft conditions and has slipped back to the same mark as when last successful. He was not beaten far at Sandown in a tougher race and the booking of Simon Walker is a huge plus. Both and
will get plenty of assistance from the saddle and the pair of them have bits of form to suggest they could make the frame. PHOENIX OF SPAIN and Too Darn Hot remain set for a Royal Ascot rematch after both horses featured among 16 colts confirmed for Tuesday’s St James’s Palace Stakes.
Too Darn Hot was the star juvenile last season, with his unbeaten run of four wins including victory over Phoenix Of
Spain at Doncaster.
Having suffered his first defeat in last month’s Dante Stakes at York, trainer John Gosden sent Too Darn Hot to the Curragh where he was strongly fancied to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas, but proved no match for the Charlie Hillstrained Phoenix Of Spain, who dominated from the front on what was his seasonal debut.
Phoenix Of Spain is the clear favourite to confirm the form in the St James’s Palace.
Gosden, below, has an interesting second string in the race in the progressive King Of Comedy and could also call on outsider Turgenev.
Aidan O’Brien – who has saddled a record seven previous winners of this Group One contest – has three possible runners, with The Irish Rover and Van Beethoven joined by the supplemented Circus Maximus.
The latter is set to drop back to a mile after finishing sixth in the Investec Derby at Epsom.