Charlie Johnston is aware of the task facing the team's three Sky Bet Ebor entries at York next weekend.
Johnston, son and assistant to soon to be record-breaking trainer Mark, isn't getting carried away over the prospects of landing the £500,000 contest with Time To Study, Hochfeld or Watersmeet, who faces an uphill battle just to make the final cut for the race.
Four-year-old Time To Study - number 14 on the list at this stage and 40/1 in Sky Bet's antepost market (five places) - was second to Torcedor in the Sagaro Stakes at the start of the season but has since struggled to make a significant impact in some of the top stayers' races, finishing down the field behind Sir Chauvelin at Glorious Goodwood last time out.
His stablemate Hochfeld (33/1) fared much better in the same Goodwood race and Johnston junior is hoping the son of Cape Cross can build on that effort on the Knavesmire on August 25.
Watersmeet (50/1) is an old favourite in the yard, though isn't always the most welcoming horse when visited at Kingsley Park.
Johnston explained: "Watersmeet has been here so long and won so many races for us. He's a grey and whenever we get visitors he's one of the first people want to go and see, but he's prone to the odd bite so we try to persuade people to avoid him!
"He's going to struggle to get into the Ebor but Hochfeld ran a great race at Goodwood. A mile and six is his perfect trip.
"You've got to have something in hand to win a race like this and perhaps these horses have shown their hand a bit too much to be strong fancies.
"Time To Study ran okay in the Summer Stakes, the ground was possibly a bit lively for him. You've got to be in it to be be there with a shout and I'd say he's got an each-way chance."
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