William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Conditions Stakes

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 2m 8.42s

(6)

Big Country^p¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 106| D

33/1

Effective at this level and ran well enough on return from absence in 1m3f Windsor Listed contest to suggest the fire is still burning. Entitled to come on for that but may be vulnerable to classier rivals.

Form: 22-2495

(4)

Elwazir^h1¹¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Jim Crowley| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 105| D

9/1

Lightly raced for his age. Returned from layoff with 9L defeat in Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes in May when sweating up beforehand. Hood applied for this but best watched on return from another absence.

Form: 24/115-6

(3)

Loxley¹⁸⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 112| D

6/5

Group 2 winner as a three-year-old last season and was well fancied for the St Leger when last seen on British soil. Hasn't been seen since fifth in Group 1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai and gelded since. This looks a good opportunity on return.

Form: 21102-5

(5)

Willie John⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 106| CD

5/2

Highly regarded yet inconsistent. Showed some signs of form when second to Elarqam at Goodwood (1m2f) on penultimate start but flopped when last seen in Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot. Hard to fancy now.

Form: 1/17-420

(1)

Walkinthesand⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: R L Moore| T: R Hannon| OR: 108| D

4/1

Good winner of 1m2f Newmarket handicap in July but looked to be bogged down by heavy conditions in 1m Haydock Group 3 last weekend. Return to forecasted ground and trip should suit him better.

Form: 225174

(2)

Fox Tal³¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 105

16/1

Above-average juvenile, beating St Leger fancy Sir Ron Priestley at Ffos Las before 1L defeat in 1m2f Group 1 in France. That form looks week tho and makes belated reappearance in this.

Form: 3143-

Forecasts

Loxley (6/5), Willie John (5/2), Walkinthesand (4/1), Elwazir (9/1), Fox Tal (16/1), Big Country (33/1)

A contest where many of the runners are making returns from absences, WALKINTHESAND may take advantage of recent runs on the track to return to winning ways. The three-year-old relished the fast conditions at Newmarket and with reasonable excuses for his latest efforts, a return to that ground and 1m2f could see him notch another victory again. Loxley is a proven Group performer and has loftier targets in his sights so is unlikely to be fully wound up for this while Fox Tal was a good juvenile last season and may have more to come with his weight allowance.