18:10 Windsor

Saturday 26 August 2017

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:40

Sri Lanka August Stakes (Listed)

Off time: 18:11 | Winning time: 2m 26.44s

(4)

Second Step²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: J P Spencer| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 110

6/4

Group 1 winner in Germany for Luca Cumani, back to form of late including runner-up effort in Goodwood Group 3 latest and that puts him at the front of the queue for this prize.

Form: 34-3122

(7)

Across The Stars^h1⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Ted Durcan| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 113

7/2

Royal Ascot winner last summer, below his best in pair of Group races this term, wears a first-time hood here and with trainer in flying form, must be respected.

Form: 3013-58

(2)

Agent Murphy⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: J Fortune| T: B J Meehan| OR: 105

8/1

Would have strong claims on his best form but well below that last week in Newbury Group 3 on first start for 539 days, this might just come a little quickly on the back-up.

Form: 3120/4-6

(6)

Carbon Dating⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Rowan Scott| T: J P Shanahan| OR: 107| D

25/1

Won a 1m6f Musselburgh handicap off a mark of 101 on seasonal debut, but faces stiff task in this line-up on previous efforts in pattern races.

Form: 583175

(3)

King Bolete^p²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 102| CD

7/2

C&D handicap winner last month and since run very fine race at Ascot over slightly further. Form of previous run here boosted when runner-up landed Listed honours at Newbury late last month.

Form: 00-9713

(8)

Harlequeen^v1⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Charles Bishop| T: M R Channon| OR: 104

12/1

Maiden success at Goodwood on debut in September 2015 still her only success. Well beaten in pair of Group 3 races this month off a break and hard to make a case for with first-time visor going on.

Form: 3330-95

(5)

Law And Order³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: J Fanning| T: J Tate| OR: 100

12/1

Listed winner over a mile on Lingfield's AW in April, found things tough enough since and has improvement to find tackling this trip for the first time.

Form: 304044

(1)

Uele River¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Tom Marquand| T: H Candy| OR: 88| C

66/1

Mare gained her sole career success, from ten attempts, over 1m2f here in 2015. Seemingly has a forlorn task in hoping to add to that tally in this field.

Form: 128/947

Forecasts

Second Step (6/4), King Bolete (7/2), Across The Stars (7/2), Agent Murphy (8/1), Law And Order (12/1), Harlequeen (12/1), Carbon Dating (25/1), Uele River (66/1)

SECOND STEP has a German Group 1 on his CV already and has run two fine races lately in better class than this. Coming here on the back of an excellent runner-up finish at Glorious Goodwood, he looks to be the ace in the pack on form. Across The Stars, a winner at Royal Ascot last summer cannot be ruled out if able to produce his best, with Sir Michael Stoute's string in top form, while Agent Murphy's old form would also make him interesting. Previous C&D King Bolete beat a subsequent Listed winner to score here last month and is one with potential to improve and have a big say.