Timeform's Adam Houghton picks out four horses who will relish underfoot conditions at Ascot on Friday following heavy rain at the track.
Gear Up – King Edward VII Stakes (15:05)
Gear Up has been slightly underwhelming in two starts this season, but his supporters will be hoping that the softer ground here can prove the catalyst for a return to form. After all, he produced his best effort as a two-year-old on heavy going, relishing the extra emphasis on stamina with a hard-fought victory in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October.
That was a smart performance which suggested he would be suited by a mile and a half as a three-year-old, and the way he shaped on his reappearance in the Dante Stakes at York certainly backed up that impression, keeping on well late on after being outpaced briefly in the straight.
Admittedly, Gear Up was well beaten on his first attempt at the trip in the Derby at Epsom last time, but he appeals as the type to bounce back quickly, especially now back on softer going. He could be worth a small each-way bet at around 10/1.
Suesa – Commonwealth Cup (15:40)
Suesa is unbeaten in four career starts to date and, crucially, they have all come at Chantilly on ground described as good or softer on the Timeform scale. She won twice on heavy going as a two-year-old when trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias – including a listed race in November – and a switch of yards during the winter has clearly done little to halt her progress.
She reappeared for Francois Rohaut with a decisive success in the Prix Sigy in April, and she was no less impressive when extending her winning sequence to four in the Prix Texanita last time, once again demonstrating a smart turn of foot to land the spoils by three lengths from a subsequent listed winner.
That win came on just good to soft going, but we know from what she’s shown previously that she will be just as effective should conditions at Ascot deteriorate. She is open to further progress and has certainly earned a crack at the top level, appealing as arguably the most solid of those towards the head of the betting.
Empress Josephine – Coronation Stakes (16:20)
Last month’s Irish 1000 Guineas was run in filthy conditions, so it’s encouraging with today’s gruesome forecast in mind that Empress Josephine found a chunk of improvement at the Curragh to make the breakthrough in Group 1 company at the first attempt.
She had previously made a winning debut at Naas in March when the going was also heavy, but two subsequent defeats at Leopardstown and Gowran Park had seemed to expose her limitations somewhat, looking no more than a useful filly. That didn’t stop her being backed at long odds near the off at the Curragh, though, and she duly took a big step forward to prevail in a thrilling finish.
Empress Josephine only won by a short head but was arguably value for extra given that she came from further back than ideal after being hampered entering the final three furlongs. That was just her fourth start, so it will be no surprise if she has even more to offer, too. She is one to be positive about as she tries to emulate her dam Lilly Langtry, who won this race (albeit on much faster ground) back in 2010.
Mirann – Duke of Edinburgh Stakes (17:35)
Mirann still has just the one win to his name since joining Johnny Murtagh, but he has run well in a series of good handicaps along the way and could be ready to strike after looking unlucky not to regain the winning thread on heavy ground at the Curragh last time. Forced to wait for a gap entering the final two furlongs, the ground he conceded to Baby Zeus at that crucial stage of the race ultimately proved costly, staying on strongly once in the clear but simply running out of time to get to the winner.
That represented a big step back in the right direction after running below form over inadequate trips on his first two starts of the campaign, and the step back up to a mile and a half here looks a good move. In fact, Mirann should encounter something like his optimum conditions here – he has raced solely on good or softer going since joining Murtagh – and he looks sure to give another good account from a 6 lb higher mark than last time for his British debut.
