Sky Bet York Stakes preview: Almaqam on target

Winner of the Brigadier Gerard Stakes on his reappearance, beating Ombudsman, the four-year-old was forced to miss Royal Ascot and the Coral-Eclipse because of the prevailing fast ground.

However the recent rain in Yorkshire means the going at York is good to soft, soft in places and the Lambourn trainer is ready to get the colt's season rolling again.

“He will go to York on Saturday," Walker said. "We just kept an eye on the King George in case for whatever reason, it was a four runner race. I didn’t think Ascot was the track to test him over a mile-and-a-half for the first time, probably on quickish ground, with a bunch of Ballydoyle horses that stay one mile six and that will make it a real test of stamina," he said.

“The ground at York should be ideal. Hopefully it will be good ground. It is the perfect track and trip and Kieran (Shoemark) is going to ride him. It is exciting.

“It is the natural progression as he has won a Listed race and a Group Three so we will now have a go at a Group Two and hopefully if he can go and win that he can go back into Group Ones. The dream I guess would be that he wins well on Saturday and you throw him in at the deep end back there at the end of the August in the Juddmonte if it is soft ground.

“It is a strong race. I saw that he was 5/4 favourite, which is quite punchy. On ratings there are two or three that are the same as him. I think his reputation is probably bigger than what he has achieved. It was no mean feat beating Ombudsman, but I think now what he has gone on and done, the world thinks Almaqam should do it.

“We have always thought the world of him and he is seriously exciting. When you have high expectations, and hopes, that is when the nerves kick in. It makes me quite nervous talking about it. I think he is very special."

Walker is confident Almaqan has what it takes to win at the highest level.

“He has got the most wonderful temperament and he is gorgeous. Personally I would be very disappointed if he finishes his career not winning a Group One. He deserves a place at stud and people should breed from him as he has got everything you want in a racehorse," he continued.

“It has just been unfortunate that we have had the driest summer in history for a horse that is clearly better with ease in the ground. I’ve tried to be sensible and not be impatient. Having run him a couple of times on fast ground last year, and regretted it, I’ve just tried to do the right thing and hopefully his time will be in the autumn.

“This could be a nice stepping stone into those races. The Irish Champion Stakes is the perfect spot then there is our Champion Stakes. The Arc is probably not the target, but something to certainly be considered. I think the ten furlong races are probably where we are going, but he will stay in the Arc and it will be considered.

“Most of my best horses have been at a mile and less. He is definitely the best mile plus horse I’ve had by a long way, certainly colts anyway as Dreamloper was a very good miler. Starman was phenomenal. I’ve said many times my only disappointment with him was that he only won one Group One. Imagine if he was around now no one would get near him. He was absolutely exceptional.

“In the mile plus division English King was a very decent horse, and we have had some decent middle distance horses, but Almaqam is different gear.”

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