Margarson harbours ground concerns
Second in this race 12 months ago on good to firm going when drawn on the opposite side of the track to the winner Brae Hill, Excellent Guest returns to the July Course on the back of a fine run at Royal Ascot.
The five-year-old was only beaten half-a-length by Prince Of Johanne in the Royal Hunt Cup, a performance that would give him a big chance in this seven-furlong cavalry charge.
“I’m concerned about the draw and the ground for Excellent Guest,” said the Newmarket-based handler.
“We’re drawn 20 but he’s a horse that travels so we’ll have to see how the race pans out.
“He’s been in good form since Ascot, he’s very well in himself and is ready to go.
“I am disappointed the ground has gone. He was second in the Buckingham Palace on soft ground at Ascot last year, but I felt he would have won if it had been better ground.
“Good to soft ground is an issue, but it would worry me if we had a lot of rain and it went heavy. If if it was like the ground on Thursday then I wouldn’t be worried at all. I’m just hoping it stays dry.
“He’s in the International at Ascot next week and there is usually two weeks between them so it’s difficult and then you’ve got Glorious Goodwood about 10 days after that, so it’s all saturated.
“If the ground went really, really bad then he would be a non-runner.”
Margarson, who won this race in 2001 with Atavus, also plans to run Excellent Guest’s half-brother Imperial Guest.
“He’s better on decent ground as well,” said the trainer.
“He was a bit unlucky at Ascot (in the Buckingham Palace Stakes) and he’s been working better than his half-brother.
“He’s drawn on the same side as Excellent Guest. You have to ride them with restraint in these big handicaps and this race could play to his strengths.
“He’s also in the International at Ascot next week and he’s in the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood, but I’m not sure he’ll get in.”
Jamesie was runner-up to Eton Forever in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot but his trainer David Marnane is also worried about the ground conditions and the impact the draw might have.
“He ran very well in Ascot. The ground is a bit of an issue for him and I’m not overly keen on his draw (one), but he’s a hold-up horse and needs a bit of luck in running,” said the County Tipperary handler.
“The ground would be an issue for me with him, but mentally and physically he couldn’t be any better, so we’re hoping.
“He’s not ungenuine, it’s just when he hits the front he thinks he’s done enough. Fingers crossed we’ll see how he gets on.
“He’s in the Stewards’ Cup and I think the slight drop in trip and good ground would help him.”
Decent Fella pleased his trainer Andrew Balding when fifth in the Buckingham Palace on his first start since October, but the going could also be a concern.
“He ran a good race at Ascot behind Eton Forever but he wouldn’t want any more rain,” said the Kingsclere handler.
“He can handle good to soft pretty well but if it turned heavy he might not even run.”
