bet365 Mile (Group 2)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 1m 42.26s

(5)

Cicero's Gift¹⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Jason Watson| T: C Hills| OR: 119| CD

25/1

Last year's third notched a second C&D victory in a listed race here before running out a surprise winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champion Day at Ascot. However, he was seen to maximum effect on that occasion and looks vulnerable under a penalty.

Form: 362211-

(2)

Opera Ballo^h⁹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 119| CD

4/1

Made it a remarkable 6 wins from 8 starts (including a C&D success) when successful in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan in January, though his defeats have come at the hands of Field Of Gold/Zeus Olympios, to whom he concedes weight today.

Form: 61121-1

(1)

Zeus Olympios²¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: K R Burke| OR: 120| D

10/3

Night Of Thunder colt confirmed himself an exciting prospect when making it 4-4 in the Group 2 Joel at Newmarket last September, readily seeing off Opera Ballo by 2¼ lengths, and he could make a bold bid to extend his unbeaten record with Ryan Moore taking over.

Form: 1111-

(3)

Dancing Gemini¹⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R A Teal| OR: 118| CD

12/1

Landed the second leg of a double in this race 12 months ago before going close in the Group 1 Lockinge and Jacques Le Marois, respectively. Ended his season with a couple of lesser efforts, though, and returns in a stronger renewal than last year.

Form: 128390-

(6)

Field Of Gold¹⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Colin Keane| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 125| BF| C| D

1/1

High-class winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas/St James's Palace Stakes who wasn't seen to best effect in either the Sussex Stakes or QEII subsequently, and he's still very much the one to beat on the pick of his 3-y-o form.

Form: 121145-

(4)

Never So Brave¹⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 116| D

9/1

Proved himself a different model for Andrew Balding last season and is better judged on the form of his success in the Group 1 City Of York (7f), than his showing in the QEII on Champions Day last October. He's in excellent hands and entitled to be in the mix on return.

Form: 0/21117-

Forecasts

Field Of Gold (1/1), Zeus Olympios (10/3), Opera Ballo (4/1), Never So Brave (9/1), Dancing Gemini (12/1), Cicero's Gift (25/1)

A typically small field doesn't make this any less intriguing, with high-class Irish 2000 Guineas winner FIELD OF GOLD the one to beat on first start as a 4-y-o. Never So Brave was much improved last season, landing his breakthrough Group 1 success over 7f, and he could be better equipped than most if the pace is steady. Zeus Olympios concedes weight to the aforementioned pair but could progress again in his bid to make it 5-5.