14:25 Newbury

Saturday 22 July 2017

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

bet365 Stakes (Listed) (Registered As The Steventon Stakes)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 2m 12.78s

(8)

Arthenus^p²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: T P Queally| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 105| D

13/2

Rattled off a hat-trick in 2015 but has only won once since. Has struggled in recent Group races but did win a Listed event over 1m2f (good) in France on his last appearance in this grade. No margin for error but ground should suit.

Form: 0217-60

(4)

Restorer²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: M Dwyer| T: W R Muir| OR: 102| D

5/1

Won a Listed race at the end of 2015 but has had an interrupted career since then without success. Not disgraced when finishing a close-up seventh in a good handicap at Ascot (1m2f, good to firm) latest and easier ground will suit. Yard quiet though.

Form: 6-98357

(6)

Thikriyaat^p1²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Jim Crowley| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 111

3/1

Proved very progressive last year, culminating in a Group 3 win at Goodwood (1m, good to firm) but he's been a shade disappointing this year, most recently over an inadequate 7f. Cheekpieces introduced as he tackles 1m2f for the first time.

Form: 215-037

(5)

What About Carlo²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Charles Bishop| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 102| BF| CD

5/2

Gained the best of his wins in a good handicap over C&D (good to soft) last back-end and arrives here in good order, having gone close in handicaps at Epson and Windsor. The more cut in the ground, the better, so very much respected.

Form: 341-932

(1)

Best Of Days^t²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Oisin Murphy| T: H Palmer| OR: 110

5/2

Runaway winner at Sandown (7f, good to firm) on his debut last summer and also scored over 1m at Newmarket later on. Struggled in a 1m Group 2 at Royal Ascot on his reappearance but couldn't be dismissed in this grade if longer trip and easier ground suit.

Form: 121-0

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 25p in the pound

Non-Runners

(2)

Spark Plug¹⁵

Weight: 9-7| Age: 6

T: B J Meehan J: R L Moore

(3)

Mount Logan²¹

Weight: 9-4| Age: 6

T: R Varian J: S De Sousa

(7)

Toulson¹⁴

Weight: 9-4| Age: 4

T: Eve Johnson Houghton J: Tom Marquand

Forecasts

Spark Plug (9/4), What About Carlo (5/2), Best Of Days (5/2), Thikriyaat (3/1), Restorer (5/1), Mount Logan (5/1), Arthenus (13/2), Toulson (50/1)

The more cut in the ground the better for What About Carlo, which cannot be said about too many others in the field. If the ground does come up testing, he could take some stopping being a dual C&D winner with some decent recent handicap form under his belt. If the forecast rain stays away, Spark Plug would hold obvious claims under Ryan Moore but Listed winner MOUNT LOGAN could take some stopping whatever the ground, having hinted at a return to his very best form on ground with cut at Newmarket last time.