Coral Stewards' Cup tips: two selections for your shortlist

Ah, the mysteries of the Coral Stewards’ Cup draw…

The data says low stalls are statistically favoured over this track and trip, but in this race high numbers have very much held sway in recent years.

Last year, stalls 28, 27 and 24 all hit the frame; 27 and 26 were in the places two years ago, and the year before it was 28, 27 and 26.

Perhaps the best play is to take one from each side against the field, using the other key trends for most of the competitive events of its kind each season.

Leadng fancy Elmonjed, who has a penalty for his York win last month, has an excellent strike-rate (5/11), but he has shown his best form on flatter tracks; this will be a very different kettle of fish.

All but one of the last 11 winners had already won earlier in the season, the exception being the 2022 winner Commanche Falls who was winning the race for the second successive year.

Commanche Falls was the first horse to win back-to-back renewals since Sky Diver in 1967 and 1968, and last year’s winner Get It ticks a lot of boxes as he attempts to emulate Michael Dods’ charge. From stall 27, we think he can do it.

After a winter in Bahrain, Get It made a successful return in May and then followed up over the same course and distance when landing the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last time.

He’s 4lb higher here but that takes him into the ratings bracket of recent winners, with 11 of the last 14 winners officially rated 101 or higher.

Perhaps the most remarkable statistic of all is that Pat Cosgrave, who rode Get It to score 12 months ago and is again in the saddle here, has hit the frame in five of his six rides in this race – that’s some record for such a competitive cavalry charge.

Three-year-olds have a decent record in this race from relatively few representatives and in stall four is Hammer The Hammer, a very progressive sprinter whose only defeat since going handicapping was when second over five furlongs at Royal Ascot in June. Take him and Get It against the field and we should hopefully have all bases covered!