Accolade to hit high note
A field of just six go to post, but that includes two St Leger winners, Millenary and Bollin Eric.
The latter is finding his 5lb Group One penalty a burden this year, though, and it is High Accolade, current favourite for this year’s Doncaster Classic, who gets the vote.
Marcus Tregoning’s colt has come on in leaps and bounds this season and is unbeaten in three starts for the Lambourn handler.
The son of Mark Of Esteem has looked a horse of some quality since being stepped up in trip. He fairly bounces off quick ground and has a decidedly useful turn of foot.
That burst of acceleration was too much for Delsarte at Royal Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes on his latest start.
He is a horse who does not like to be crowded, according to connections, but with just five rivals today that will not be a problem.
The race is also likely to be run to suit, with Zindabad more or less sure to go off at a decent clip.
Expect High Accolade to produce that trademark turn of foot at the business end and secure his position at the head of the market for the final Classic of the season.
Attraction will be all the rage for the Chippenham Lodge Cherry Hinton Stakes.
She is unbeaten in four starts and the manner of her latest victory in the Queen Mary Stakes suggests she is very smart indeed.
She simply hammered her rivals in that five-furlong contest and never looked like being beaten at any stage, making all for a three-length success over Catstar.
The unknown, of course, is the sixth furlong she tackles today, having never raced beyond the minimum trip.
But her trainer Mark Johnston is too shrewd a cookie to risk her burgeoning reputation here if there was any doubt in his mind.
Dazzling Bay also comes down from the North for the Tote Exacta Rated Stakes.
Tim Easterby’s three-year-old has always been held in some regard but has really got his act together this year.
He has rattled of a hat-trick since being beaten by the smart Tarjman in April and looked tremendous when bolting up in the William Hill Trophy at York last month.
Hurricane Floyd has always had a degree of talent but has proved a frustrating individual to follow.
But he is now in the hands of champion jumps trainer Martin Pipe and the Pond House maestro nearly conjured a result out of the old boy at the very first attempt.
That was in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he was just touched off under Gary Stevens, who was putting up 1lb overweight.
Hurricane Floyd has a good race in him and if Pipe can find a bit more improvement in him, then it could come in the H & K Commissions Bookmakers Handicap.
