The Gr1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes which forms part of the British Champion Series takes place at Newbury racecourse on Saturday (16h35).
Run over the straight mile, thirteen rivals contest the £198,500 first prize. Track conditions are posted as good.
This year’s event has an open look to it even with two runners officially rated over 120.
Modern Games (Pic – Racing TV)
Godolphin’s Modern Games, as a previous Group 1 winner over Saturday’s mile trip, has an undeniable chance.
He’s had a run this season when second in a Group 1 at Keenland in the US and is the joint highest rated in the field at 121, having landed the Breeders’ Cup Mile last season.
Of concern is that this four-year-old has never visited the track and has to overcome a high draw in order to claim his first domestic Group 1 success. Champion rider William Buick retains the ride.
The Shadwell owned Mutasaabeq (rated 120) was given an easy time out front in the Gr2 bet365 Mile at Newmarket earlier this month, before quickening away over the final furlong to win convincingly. He defeated last season’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Native Trail by 3-lengths there and could be hard to catch on the forecasted quicker ground with Jim Crowley aboard.
Frankie Dettori can never be ignored in this his final season in the saddle, and he rides the sole filly in the contest, the four-year-old Laurel for the Gosden’s.
An interesting alternative to her withdrawn stablemate Inspiral, she is unexposed having won four of only five starts. This is a huge jump in class from her listed success last time out at Kempton, but Gosden knows what it takes to win this race and she must be respected.
The highly regarded My Prospero trained by William Haggas is the other joint-rated highest runner on 121.
Very unlucky when beaten a neck in third behind Coroebus in the St James at Royal Ascot, he then ran a blinder in third to Bay Bridge in the Champion Stakes. He returns from a long layoff, but much is anticipated from this Iffraaj colt this season and it could well start on Saturday.
Charlie Appleby, pictured above, and Buick have a strong hand in the earlier supporting features, teaming up with Noble Style in Listed Carnarvon Stakes (14h50) and Yibir in the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes (15h25).
Finally, the Ralph Beckett trained filly Bluestocking makes her seasonal return in the listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial over ten-furlongs (17h45).
An impressive winner of a mile novice at Salisbury against the ‘boys’ on her sole start last season, she should win on her way to Epsom next month.
