REGIONAL can become a national treasure with a victory on the Coral Stewards’ Cup (3.20) at Glorious Goodwood.
A two-time winner from eight starts on turf, the Ed Bethell-trained four-year-old returned from 105 days off to run sixth behind today’s rival Mr Wagyu in a six-furlong sprint on the Cazoo Derby undercard eight weeks ago.
Bethell then stepped Regional back to the minimum trip at Doncaster at the start of this month, and my selection powered home from the back to get within a neck of Burning Cash at the line.
A 3lb rise in the weights looks well within range for a horse who has more to offer on the 11 th outing of his career, and a high draw in stall 27 looks a plus.
Throw in the Middleham trainer’s booking of Ryan Moore to do the steering and Regional is fancied to make the most of the return to six furlongs and land the £128,850 first prize.
EMILY DICKINSON is fancied to grab centre stage in the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (2.45).
A daughter of Dubawi trained by Aidan O’Brien, Emily Dickinson marked her first start at today’s one-mile, six-furlong trip with a short-head second in the Group 3 Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown two outings ago. O’Brien then stepped my selection back to a mile and a half for the Irish Oaks, a race won by her dam – the brilliant but screwball Chicquita – nine years ago.
Emily Dickinson ran a thoroughly creditable fourth to Magical Lagoon, having to wait for a gap before staying on strongly to be beaten just under four lengths at the line. The evidence from the Curragh is that going back up in distance is the right move, and Ryan Moore’s mount gets the vote over favourite Sea La Rosa.
After successes under Neil Callan at Newmarket and Ascot on his last two starts, BAGUE D’OR has strong claims of a hat-trick in the Coral Summer Handicap (2.10). Having got the better of Sea Appeal by half a length at the July Course in the middle of last month, the Chris Wall-saddled son of Belardo followed up by a head from Berkshire Breeze at the Queen’s racetrack three weeks later.
The compact margins have made revenge tough for the handicapper – Bague D’Or has gone up just 5lb as a result of the two wins – so he still looks well treated.
A below-expectations 12-strong field assembles the Coral Stewards’ Sprint Handicap (1.40), in which it’s hard to get away from another threesome seeker, LETHAL LEVI. To say the Lethal Force three-year-old has been the very model of consistency is to short-change him – Lethal Levi has yet to finish out of the frame in 16 starts.
His CV includes scores at Newmarket’s July Course on his last two outings, the latter by two lengths under Pierre-Louis Jamin a week ago. The Stewards’ Cup consolation race is an early closer, so Lethal Levi is actually 1lb lower in the handicap than for that victory, and is expected to make all.
Seven days on from capturing the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Pyledriver, William Muir and Chris Grassick are the pair to follow with GALIAC in the Medallia Handicap (3.55). Kodiac’s son hit the bullseye over course and distance in May and doubled his tally for the campaign with a neck supremacy at Newmarket in the middle of last month.
Galiac got squeezed for room at a crucial stage when third to Golden Voice at Sandown Park last time and makes appeal from the same British Horseracing Authority rating of 88.
Richard Hannon has a promising two-year-old in CLASSIC, who stands out in the opening British European Breeders Fund EBF Maiden Stakes (1.05). Pat Dobbs gave the Dubawi youngster a kind introduction at Newbury 15 days ago and Classic, who came home well into fourth to get within a length and a half of winner Tarjeeh, should put that first experience to good use.
At Newmarket, ROSE OF KILDARE looks blooming brilliant in the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice Stakes (2.25). The six-time winner, trained by Mark Johnston and son Charlie, was sidelined for 511 days after finishing second in a Group 2 at Baden-Baden in September 2020.
Rose Of Kildare returned last of six in Lingfield Park’s Listed Winter Derby Trial in February, but her second in the same-level Aphrodite Stakes over today’s course and distance two weeks ago was much more like it.
Making the running under Cieren Fallon, the daughter of Make Believe gave best late on for a three-quarter-length second to Eternal Pearl, but was clear of the third horse and is fancied to go one better here.
Johnston & Son combine with QUEEN OF DEAUVILLE, who is the selection to give her rivals weight and a beating in the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Nursery (1.55). The top weight marked her handicap debut with a third on soft ground at Haydock Park four weeks ago – runner-up Signora Camacho has gone one better in the sphere since – and Will Buick’s mount may do better again on faster terrain.
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