Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Three points of interest
Progressive handicapper Ferrous can handle step into Group company
Kind of Blue ended last season with a Timeform master rating of 122 following his Group 1 victory in the Champions Sprint Stakes, making him the joint highest-rated six-furlong sprinter in Britain or Ireland.
As is often the case with the sprinters, however, it's a close-knit division, and a 7 lb penalty incurred for that Group 1 win means that Kind of Blue doesn't head Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings for the Chipchase Stakes (14:10) at Newcastle.
Instead, it's the progressive Ferrous, a winner of his last three handicaps on the all-weather, who narrowly heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings on his first start in Group company.
As American Affair's victory in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last week demonstrated, the gap between top-end handicapper and Group-race performer often isn't a big leap in the sprint division, and Ferrous looks up to making his mark at this level after producing his best effort yet when scoring over course and distance last month.
Trustyourinstinct stands out on ratings
Aidan O'Brien has been the dominant trainer in the International Stakes (14:55) at the Curragh and has won six of the last ten renewals, including last year's with subsequent St Leger winner Jan Brueghel.
O'Brien is represented this year by Roosevelt, though the 950,000 guineas purchase has something to prove at present having disappointed on both starts since winning a Leopardstown maiden last month.
O'Brien's son Joseph is responsible for the leading form contender this time around as Trustyourinstinct is 5 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, despite being burdened with a 3 lb penalty for his Group 3 win at Leopardstown last season.
A penalty didn't stop Trustyourinstict from impressively winning a listed race by four lengths here last month - and he could have been called the winner a long way out.
That was just about his best effort yet on Timeform's figures and enhanced his good record at the Curragh, where his form figures now read: 12231. He has shown smart form on all four of his starts at the Curragh since winning his maiden at the track, and his consistency and class mean he should be difficult to beat.
Moonlit Cloud can capitalise on reduced mark
Moonlit Cloud's campaign in 2024 ended with a trio of disappointing efforts, and there wasn't much more promise evident on her return at Chelmsford last month. She was, at least, entitled to need the run at Chelmsford on her first start for nearly 200 days and she duly took a big step forward at Windsor a few weeks ago when finishing runner-up over the same course and distance she tackles on Saturday.
The bare result alone, finishing a length behind a subsequent winner, suggests that Moonlit Cloud is in good enough form to take advantage of a mark that has fallen 5 lb below the one she emphatically defied at Bath last season. However, the way that race developed suggests she can have her performance upgraded and is worth rating above the bare form.
Moonlit Cloud was held up in a race in which the all-the-way winner dictated just a modest tempo, but she made good headway in the straight and clocked the fasting closing sectional, earning a sectional upgrade 5 lb higher than any other rival.
She may not quite have been able to sustain her challenge all the way to the line having made a big move, but she deserves credit for getting as close as she did and she earned the Horse In Focus and Sectional Timing Flags to mark her out as one of interest.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.