HIRD Rail Group Park Stakes (Group 2)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 1m 23.84s

(2)

Sir Dancealot²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: G Mosse| T: D R C Elsworth| OR: 114| CD

11/4

C&D winner (Oct 2017); landed the Grp 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood (7f, good) for the second successive year in July; is penalised accordingly; renews rivalry on slightly better terms with the brave City Of York Stakes winner Shine So Bright.

Form: 0-74145

(5)

Breton Rock²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: D M Simcock| OR: 103| CD

33/1

Short-head winner of this race in 2016 (also placed in 2015), but at the age of nine appears to be nowhere near the force of old; no win since taking the Grp 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood in August 2017; others readily preferred.

Form: 8-37595

(4)

Shine So Bright²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: W Buick| T: A M Balding| OR: 115| D

10/11

Ready winner of the European Free Handicap (7f, gd/fm), and thereafter acquitted himself well (sixth) in the 2000 Guineas; back from a break when beating Laurens with a brave display of front-running in the Grp 2 City Of York Stakes three-weeks ago.

Form: 333-161

(3)

Azano^t⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 104| D

5/1

Down the field in the 2000 Guineas (11th of 19 to Magna Grecia); managed to land a Grp 3 contest at Chantilly (1m, good to soft) in June, yet absent since flopping on his next start behind classy stablemate Too Darn Hot in the Grp 1 Prix Jean Prat.

Form: 2-30210

(1)

Never No More³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 107| D

15/2

Won twice in Ireland early season, including when readily beating the Derby runner-up Madhmoon in the "Red Rocks" 2,000 Guineas trial at The Curragh (7f, soft); beaten on return from a four-month break in the States (Arlington, Secretariat); ground?

Form: 217-115

Non-Runners

(6)

Turjomaan⁴³

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: R Varian J: Dane O'Neill

Forecasts

Shine So Bright (10/11), Sir Dancealot (11/4), Turjomaan (3/1), Azano (5/1), Never No More (15/2), Breton Rock (33/1)

Shine So Bright did exactly that with a brave display of front-running in the City Of York Stakes on the Knavesmire three-weeks ago (Sir Dancealot fifth). He has endured a relatively light campaign, so should theoretically be a fresh horse as he bids to follow up on Town Moor. However, similar comments apply to the exciting TURJOMAAN who was supplemented for this race at a cost of £9,000. He tanked through a couple of minor 7f novice events on Tapeta at Newcastle, but possibly didn't quite see out the trip (1m) when downed by the hat-trick seeking Duke Of Hazzard in the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood. Owing largely to untapped potential, he gets the nod.