Saturday previews: quotes from connections plus video tips

Charlie Johnston is keen to see if Ancient Egypt can continue his ascent up the juvenile pyramid in the Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Group Two event has been kind to the Johnston family down the years, with Charlie’s father Mark winning it four times, including with subsequent 2000 Guineas winner Mister Baileys in 1993, when the race was staged at its former Ascot home.

Charlie came close to getting his own name on the roll of honour when in conjunction with his father they saw Deira Mile just touched off in 2022, but he could have the ideal candidate to continue the Kingsley Park operation’s rich history with the race in the form of the exciting son of Frankel, who cost 1.1million guineas as a yearling.

The Amo Racing-owned colt is two from two after impressing under a penalty at Goodwood last month and Johnston said: “It’s a big step up in class for him, but one we feel he warrants judged on what he has done so far.

“He was workmanlike on his debut at Beverley but he was quite green and only just getting the hang of things late on and then he took a nice step forward to win impressively under a penalty, I thought, at Goodwood.

“This is the logical next step for him and given his pedigree and price tag he’s always been one we hoped would be competing in these types of races.

“I’m sure whatever he does this year, he will be a much better horse next year and he’s only going to improve with time and distance. But we felt this was the right next step for him in his progression and we wouldn’t mind a few more with his potential through the door.”

George Boughey’s Bow Echo is already as short as 10-1 for next year’s 2000 Guineas after enhancing his reputation with an impressive victory over John and Thady Gosden’s well-regarded Publish at Haydock and is expected to be a warm order for this after wowing onlookers in a racecourse gallop last weekend.

Star Sports ambassador Boughey said: “His work has been good since Haydock and he’s never really been one to take that much to get to race fitness, so we’ve just been ticking him over since.

“The one piece of work he did was on the Rowley Mile and it was as impressive a bit of work we’ve had from a two-year-old.

“It was nice to get some match practice, and he couldn’t be in much better shape coming into his first Group Two contest.

“He’s the type of horse that if he can take this step up in grade, then the natural next step will be to work back from the 2000 Guineas next year. We’ll likely keep him off the track for the rest of the season after this.”

Aidan O’Brien is represented by both Galway winner Action and Prix Francois Boutin third Daytona, for a race he won with Mohawk and Royal Dornoch in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Meanwhile the Solario Stakes form been boosted by Brian Meehan’s third Oceans Four and will be put to the test by Andrew Balding’s runner-up Humidity and Charlie Appleby’s Pacific Avenue who was also involved in the finish when a close-up fourth at Sandown.

After finishing down the pack in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, it was a confidence-boosting return to form for Humidity in the Esher Group Three and connections are now excited to explore a mile with their Royal Ascot hero.

“I don’t think Goodwood suited him, but he still ran a very solid race and then he ran a good race at Sandown when they all finished in a heap at the finish,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“It looks a hot race and we will find a bit more about him. I think he’s been screaming out for a mile so hopefully that will bring about the best in him.”

Dylan Cunha’s Tailgunner Joe and Ismail Mohammed’s Lord Britain complete a field of eight.

Royal Fixation is out to confirm the very favourable impression she created at York in the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Trained by Ed Walker and owned by the relatively new syndicate of Opulence Racing, the filly looked the real deal when winning the Lowther Stakes last time out.

Walker immediately put this Group One forward as her next port of call and she has not missed a beat in the interim, just as she barely has all year, with her only defeat coming behind the top-class Venetian Sun in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

“I think she deserves to be favourite. I’ve had the discussion with our owners already, but for a syndicate that has only been going five years she can be described as the horse of a lifetime,” said Ed Brown, racing and communications manager for the syndicate.

“She’s the ultimate professional at home, does everything right and I thought her run in the Lowther was exceptional.

“I got a video off Ed Walker four or five days later of her bucking and kicking. He he said with the good horses they get back to the yard after a race like nothing has ever happened. Her preparation couldn’t have gone any better.

“I think we’re taking the best part of 20 owners with us so it’s going to be a fantastic day for everyone involved.”

Brown added: “She’s been very straightforward to train and it’s a huge plus having William Buick on board as he knows her very well.

“Aidan O’Brien has two legitimate contenders, but we’ve got the favourite, I just hope the owners realise it won’t always be as good as this, for most of them this is only their first or second horse.

“Whatever happens this is likely to be her last run of the year. With a horse like this you might dream of the Breeders’ Cup, but this has always been the aim and having never had a Group winner before the Lowther, this would cap off a fantastic year for us.”

Walker said: “She’s great, everything has gone well since York. She’s going to need to step up again, but she’s really well and it’s very exciting. The ground has been kind and the weather has been kind. She wouldn’t want it too soft, I wouldn’t have thought.”

A length behind Royal Fixation at York as Richard Hughes’ America Queen and the former champion jockey is keen to have another crack.

“We are really pleased with her, we couldn’t be happier,” said Hughes.

“I know she didn’t beat much (on debut), but not many win the way she did the first time out over six furlongs. She ran a bit green in the Lowther and Ryan (Moore) had to commit a tiny bit earlier than he ideally wanted to.

“She has to find a length with Royal Fixation, but she has improved again and I expect them to be much closer together.

“I’m very confident of a big run and I’m buzzing about it. I think she will run a huge race and she will definitely go close.”

The aforementioned O’Brien runs Queen Mary winner True Love (Wayne Lordan) and Moyglare runner-up Beautify (Tom Marquand).

“True Love was second in the Heinz (Phoenix Stakes) last time and we’ve been happy with her since. We possibly ran her in the wrong race that weekend as we had been thinking about taking her to Deauville (Prix Morny),” said O’Brien.

“So it didn’t go completely to plan, but we’ve been very happy with her.

“Beautify ran a nice race in the Moyglare, that was over seven but she won over six the time before and she seems to have been in good form as well. Hopefully they’ll both run well.”

O’Brien’s son Donnacha was aboard his father’s Fairyland when she won in 2018 and also saddled Porta Fortuna to win the race as a trainer two years ago.

He holds claims once again with Havana Anna, who scooped Listed honours at Naas before going close at ParisLongchamp late last month.

O’Brien said: “She’s in great form and has trained really well since her run in France.

“We’re going back up to six furlongs and probably all her best form is over five, but she’s won a Listed race and was unlucky not to win a Group race last time, so we decided to give her a shot at a big one.

“It’ll be the toughest race she’s run in, but she’s training really well and I’d be hoping for a good performance from her.”

The stars could have aligned for Wise Approach to make his mark at the highest level, as he looks to give Charlie Appleby back-to-back victories in the Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

The son of Mehmas has gone close in both the Norfolk Stakes and his first try in Group One company in the Prix Morny, but in between those fine efforts in defeat was an impressive victory in Newbury’s Rose Bowl Stakes.

And with the ground on the Rowley Mile drier than anticipated at this stage of the season, it is only the colt’s susceptibility to the undulating nature of the track that is giving the Moulton Paddocks handler cause for concern.

Appleby said: “He’s in great nick. I didn’t really think we’d be participating on Saturday because I thought ground conditions would go against him and he is a horse that I feel wants quick ground.

“The only negative I can give is the track. I do feel he’s a very slick horse and that was why I was keen for him to take his chance in the Prix Morny, I felt conditions there would suit him and the track would suit him.

“We’ll always use the dip here as an excuse and I did think about bringing him up here and giving him a gallop, but I just felt we might treat him with the element of surprise on Saturday.

“He’s in great order, the ground is tightening up and I think if he produces anything like he did in the Prix Morny he’s going to be hard to beat.”

Aidan O’Brien saddles Flying Childers second Kansas, Brussels and First Approach, but it is his son Joseph O’Brien who looks to have the stronger claims with once-raced The Publican’s Son, who is chanced at the top table after a pleasing debut in Group Three company at the Curragh.

O’Brien said: “He made a very good debut and after he pulled up well after that race we felt this was a race we could target with him.

“He’s had a good preparation and obviously it’s a huge jump up on just his second start, but we’re looking forward to seeing how he competes at this level.

“It’s a big ask, obviously, but he’s very fast and we feel he is potentially one who can cope with that jump. He debuted in a Group Three and we think it’s a good next step for him.”

Also moving into deep waters is George Boughey’s Hilitany, who has impressed in winning minor events at Windsor in taking fashion.

“He won both his maiden and novice by a wide margin, so he’s obviously a talented colt and we just want to roll the dice and see where we stand with him,” explained Chris Wall, racing manager for owners Victorious Forever.

“He deserves his chance, it’s open at that level and distance, so we may as well give it a go.

“George has him in good form, he did a nice piece of work on the racecourse last Saturday which gave him some handy experience of the track which he handled well and everyone came away happy. So we’re hoping for a good performance at the weekend.”

In contrast Coppull has already proven himself in Group company, having placed in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and won the Richmond at Goodwood before taking on some of the best around at this distance in the Morny.

The son of Bated Breath failed to land a blow in Deauville, but trainer Clive Cox is happy he had valid excuses on that occasion and feels his charge is in rude health ahead of his second Group One assignment.

Cox said: “I was very pleased with his win in the Richmond and then he was drawn on the wing when he went to France for the Morny, but I would be hopeful we’ve got more of a positive position here.

“He’s got a nice middle draw in five and I would hope he would have a competitive chance.

“It was very fast in France and we were stuck on a wing and it just didn’t work out at all. But I think travelling in extreme heat on that occasion didn’t help also.

“He’s pleased me in the last couple of weeks which has given me confidence and hopefully the ground will be nice for him as well. It was very fast in France and we were stuck on a wing and it just didn’t work out at all.”

Eve Johnson Houghton’s Royal Ascot winner Havana Hurricane was not too far behind Coppull when third at Goodwood on his penultimate start and along with Andrew Balding’s Sirenia Stakes scorer Five Ways completes a field of nine.

Karl Burke, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and Clifford Lee teamed up to win last year’s bet365 Cambridgeshire with the top-weight and are out to repeat the dose with Boiling Point on Saturday.

Liberty Lane defied a mark of 105 when making almost all the running at Newmarket 12 months ago, but Boiling Point will have to be even better, running off 109.

Beaten a short head at this meeting two years ago in the Tattersalls Stakes, he has only had one run in a handicap before, on his debut for Burke back in June, and he was only narrowly beaten in the Strensall Stakes last time out.

Burke has a very able second string to his bow in Thunder Run who is next in the weights and both are fancied by the handler.

“They are two good horses and Boiling Point is a Group horse really,” said Burke. “He’s got to give a lump of weight away, but I think he’s the class horse of the race, although Thunder Run is a good horse in his own right.

“They are both drawn on the far side, the same as Liberty Lane last year. Fingers crossed the draw is kind to us, which is something we’ll probably not know until after the race.”

Simon and Ed Crisford’s Treble Tee has been favourite for the race since winning easily at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting. He carries a 4lb penalty for that success, but is still 4lb well-in.

Ed Crisford said: “When he won first time out on the Rowley Mile last year we thought he was going to be a good horse as he looked good that day, but the early part of this year was just a disaster as he was doing things the wrong way around.

“We had to pull stumps and we gelded him, but that has done him the world of good. He has come out of the Doncaster race really well and he is just coming good.

“To win a Cambridgeshire you often have to be a Group horse, and if he goes and does that, then you are in business for Group races.

“He is finally doing what we thought he could do. He is an improving horse, and he is lightly raced still, so he has got it all ahead of him.”

On his penultimate start at Goodwood Treble Tee was beaten by David Menuisier’s Tribal Chief who previously had tended to blow the start, giving himself too much to do. Having broken on terms that day, he was able to show his ability.

“We know he’s a pretty nice horse. He’s draw in stall 20 which would normally mean he’d be in the middle, but surprisingly there are only 24 runners, which is the lowest I can remember for a long time, it’s weird,” said Menuisier.

“We’ll know after if it’s a good or bad draw, but there are lots of fancied horses not far off him.

“He must have a chance, Sean (Levey) knows him well, the horse is well and we just need a bit of luck in a race like that, I’ve had one beaten in this who must have had 25lb in hand (Danceteria, ninth to Wissahickon in 2018 before going on to win a Group One)!

“He’s run well on the track before and I don’t believe the trip will be an issue, I just don’t want the ground to quicken any more but looking at the maps it’s looks like the last four furlongs is pretty good which is what you want when you come off the bridle as he likes to get his toe in.

“The form of his last race at Goodwood looks strong and he has a lot going his way, we just need a bit of luck. He hasn’t really run a bad race of his own account.

“Because he’s been slowly away a few times it might mean he’s well handicapped – but I wouldn’t like him to do that again!”

Richard Hughes’ Real Gain is another in the mix after a pleasing comeback at Goodwood in the summer. He was in fact the ante-post favourite 12 months ago before being forced to miss out.

“I would have liked a bit more give in the ground for him, but he ran really well having been off for a very long time at Goodwood,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“You need a lot of luck in a race as competitive as this, but I could see him running a big race.”

Ed Walker’s Fort George has already won over the track and trip this season and returns to the Rowley Mile after making all in style over 10 furlongs at Newbury last month.

Walker said: “He has had a light campaign and this has been the plan since Newbury.

“I’m thrilled the weather has held, he’s got form on the track and he’s improving, so we’re really hopeful.

“I’m as positive as you can be in a race like this. I’ve been positive quite a few times in the Cambridgeshire and go nowhere near!

“It’s a tough race, but he’s in good form.”

Watch: Danny Archer's six names to note on Saturday!