Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Trainer: Andrew Balding. Jockey: Oisin Murphy. Form: 364-11.

Coventry Stakes winner, and runner-up in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood as a juvenile. Found life much tougher as a three-year-old and, while beaten only a couple of lengths (sixth), was behind Lusail (second) and My Prospero (third) in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Unbeaten in two starts since being gelded and switching to the all-weather, latterly fending off Chichester over a mile at Newcastle.

Trainer: William Knight. Jockey: Andrea Atzeni. Form: 7134-4.

Well down the field in last year’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas but progressed steadily during the second half of the season, notching a Group Three win over a mile at Deauville (Prix Daphnis) before finishing a close third to Erevann in the Group Two Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Longchamp). Probably not quite Group One material and, on recent form, has plenty to do with Modern Games and Mutasaabeq.

Trainer: Richard Hannon. Jockey: Pat Dobbs. Form: 4168-1.

Left trailing in the wake of Baaeed when third in last year’s Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, but gamely edged out Mutasaabeq in the Group Two Summer Mile at Ascot in July. Returned to action with a straightforward Listed win at Ascot (stablemate Lusail behind), so would hold realistic place claims if conditions continue to dry.

Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford. Jockey: James Doyle. Form: /1113-.

Didn’t return to action until July last year but, after being gelded, notched three straight wins at Clairefontaine (Prix du Pays d’Auge), Goodwood (Celebration Mile) and Leopardstown (Boomerang Mile). Supplemented for £70,000 thereafter for the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot and came up only fractionally short (third to Bayside Boy) after dictating the pace.

Trainer: Eve Johnson Houghton. Jockey: Charles Bishop. Form: 1965-5.

A solid handicapper - made the frame in the Wokingham Stakes (Royal Ascot) and the Bunbury Cup (Newmarket) – before negotiating the step up into Group company when winning the 7f Hungerford Stakes here in August. Fluffed the start on recent seasonal reappearance, so didn’t fare too badly in the circumstances, but this is a different proposition.

Trainer: David Simcock. _Jockey: Jamie Spencer. __Form: 9226-3.

Runner-up in two Group One’s in France last summer, latterly when beaten a neck by Inspiral in the Prix Jacques le Marois (Deauville), before heading off to Australia to compete in the Golden Eagle (finished sixth of 20). Couldn’t stick with the front-running Mutasaabeq in the rescheduled bet365 Mile at Newmarket (seasonal reappearance) so, while he is entitled to come on for that race, he will need to if he's to gain his revenge.

Trainer: Richard Hannon. Jockey: Ryan Moore. Form: 375-64.

Carries the silks of the race sponsor. Won the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes at York as a juvenile and, although without a win since, has acquitted himself well in various top-class races over a mile, including last year’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas (sixth) and the St James’s Palace Stakes (splitting Coroebus and My Prospero). mLacked the necessary change of gears when a recent fourth to stablemate Chindit.

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Jockey: William Buick. Form: 2121-2.

Runner-up to the brilliant Baaeed in last year’s Qatar Sussex Stakes (Goodwood) before switching the focus mostly to the United States of America & Canada. Finished off strongly to take the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Mile on his final three-year-old appearance, and recently returned to action with a keeping-on second in the Grade One Maker’s Mark Mile at Keenland. At his strongest on quick ground.

Trainer: Charles Hills. Jockey: Jim Crowley. Form: 3241-1.

Raced keenly when disappointing on soft ground in the Group Two Celebration Mile at Goodwood (race won by Jadoomi) last August. Bounced back with a pair of dominant front-running displays on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket, latterly when comfortably accounting for Native Trail, Light Infantry and Checkandchallenge in the rescheduled bet365 Mile. Race-fit, and progressive in these blinkers, as he seeks a Group One breakthrough.

Trainer: William Haggas. Jockey: Tom Marquand. Form: 11313-.

Progressed swiftly as a three-year-old, from winning an early season C&D maiden to finishing a close third to Coroebus in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes (Royal Ascot). Rounded off last season with a fine third to Bay Bridge and Adayar in the QIPCO Champion Stakes, with his rider Tom Marquand recently stating; “he looks gorgeous, and he’s strengthened as well.” A major contender.

Trainer: Stan Moore. Jockey: Kieran Shoemark. Form: 691-36.

Rank outsider. Off the mark in first-time cheekpieces at Kempton (Listed Hyde Stakes) last November but failed to see out the stiff mile at Newcastle (All-Weather Mile Championship) on seasonal reappearance and was well-beaten at Haydock last weekend.

Trainer: Kevin Ryan. Jockey: Neil Callan. Form: 11/17-.

A capable juvenile who missed much of his three-year-old season with a reported ‘tiny stress fracture’ but justified favouritism on his belated return to action in the Group Three Superior Mile (Haydock). Out of his depth in a soft-ground Group Two at Longchamp subsequently and this is an altogether tougher assignment.

Trainer: John & Thady Gosden. Jockey: Frankie Dettori. Form: 112-1.

Lightly-raced filly who lost her unbeaten record in the Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket (a late supplementary entry for that race). Returned from her winter break with a silky-smooth win in the Listed Snowdrop Stakes on the polytrack at Kempton and promises to have further improvement to come. As the sole filly in this year’s race, she receives a useful 3lb weight allowance.

Frankel (2012), Palace Pier (2021) and Baaeed (2022) feature on the Lockinge Stakes rollcall. This year, the progressive filly Laurel sports Frankel’s Juddmonte silks. She was impressive on her Kempton Park return and has the potential to develop into a top-class performer.

The Shadwell-owned Mutasaabeq has thrived since fitted with headgear, readily accounting for Light Infantry (third) and Checkandchallenge (fourth) at Newmarket, while Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Modern Games, and last year’s Lockinge Stakes third Chindit, should both appreciate the drying conditions.

However, the suggestion is the William Haggas-trained four-year-old MY PROSPERO. His Iffraaj colt was on a sharp upward trajectory during the second half of last season, signing off with a fine third to Bay Bridge and Adayar in the QIPCO Champion Stakes.

1. My Prospero. 2. Laurel. 3. Modern Games.