Deep looking to make big Impact in Racing Post Trophy

Chilean
Sire - Dam (Damsire)
Iffraaj - Childa (Duke Of Marmalade)
Bred by Ed's Stud
Chilean not only has the assistance of Andrea Atzeni, who is chasing a remarkable five-timer in the Racing Post Trophy, but is also a son of Darley shuttle sire Iffraaj, who has enjoyed a fruitful 2017, with sons Jon Snow and Gingernuts both landing Antipodean Group 1s and his leading performer Ribchester adding an individual haul of three top-level races in Europe.

Iffraaj is no stranger to supplying Group 1-winning two-year-olds, having already sired Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Wootton Bassett, Fillies' Mile and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Chriselliam, and Moyglare Stud Stakes scorer Rizeena. Chilean, a 130,000gns yearling, is one of 55 stakes winners sired by the son of Zafonic, having landed the Ascendant Stakes at Haydock by daylight on his latest outing.

He is the first foal of Childa, who landed the Listed Prix Rose de Mai over 1m2f at three. She herself is out of the Listed winner Chill, and is closely related to the Listed-placed Llanita. Childa is a daughter of Duke Of Marmalade, which means that Chilean is bred on the same Iffraaj - Danehill cross as Chriselliam, Nell Gwyn scorer Nathra and Latharnach, who landed a Listed race and finished second to Gleneagles in the St James's Palace Stakes.

Loxley
New Approach - Lady Marian (Nayef)
Godolphin
The least experienced member of the field, Loxley boasts a pedigree and physique that point to him being a much better three-year-old. He is by New Approach, whose Royal Ascot two-year-old treble has been followed by a succession of high-class talents who bloomed later in life. Indeed, New Approach has sired just seven juveniles winners in 2017, albeit that there are some promising types among that number, including Masar, Magic Lily and Sunday's Criterium International hopeful Cascadian.

It is a similar story on the distaff side of Loxley's pedigree, as he is out of Lady Marian, a daughter of Nayef whose best efforts on Racing Post Ratings came at three and four, when landing the 2008 Prix de l'Opera and running a short-head second to Alpine Rose in the following year's Prix Jean Romanet. Further back in the family, which very much has its roots in Germany, are a number of smart jumps performers and middle-distance types.

All that, of course, does not preclude Loxley from playing a hand in this event, but his debut effort did come over further and one or two of Saturday's rivals may just prove that bit more precocious.

View full racecard

Roaring Lion
Kitten's Joy - Vionnet (Street Sense)
Ranjan Racing
Roaring Lion has quickly repaid the $160,000 he cost connections at the Keeneland September Sale with a hat-trick. He is by leading US turf sire Kitten's Joy, who has sired 11 Grade/Group 1 winners, though only two, Oscar Performance and Stephanie's Kitten, have struck as juveniles.

Roaring Lion is the first foal out of Vionnet, a daughter of Street Sense who finished third in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes over 1m2f back in 2013. She is a half-sister to four stakes winners, including the Grade 2-winning pair Schiaparelli and Moulin De Mougin.

Should Roaring Lion prevail he would breaking a ten year barren spell for US-breds in the race, with 2007 winner Ibn Khaldun the last victor to have been born across the Atlantic.

Roaring Lion: the Royal Lodge winner bids to become a second European Group 1 winner for Kitten's JoyCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Saxon Warrior
Deep Impact - Maybe (Galileo)
Orpendale, Chelston and Wynatt
The hugely exciting Saxon Warrior is a son of dominant Japanese sire Deep Impact, who has supplied 100 stakes winners, including 31 Group/Grade 1 scorers, so while his progeny may be something of a rarity on these shores, there is no doubting that he is one of the very best stallions around. Deep Impact is yet to supply a Group 1 winner in Britain or Ireland, but was responsible for Beauty Parlour, who landed the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2012.

Saxon Warrior also boasts a high-class female line as he is out of Maybe, who went unbeaten in five starts at two, a run that culminated with a comfortable success in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. Maybe, a sister to Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed Promise To Be True, descends from Rain Flower, the dam of Oaks winner Dancing Rain, who is in turn the dam of promising juvenile filly Magic Lily.

Maybe is by Coolmore's all-conquering Galileo, whose daughters have already supplied the likes of Group 1 winners Barney Roy, Night Of Thunder and US Navy Flag.

Seahenge
Scat Daddy - Fools In Love (Not For Love)
K & G Stables
The most expensive horse in the field, having cost Coolmore's MV Magnier $750,000 from Keeneland, Seahenge is a son of the much missed Scat Daddy, who has given us talents such as Lady Aurelia, No Nay Never and Caravaggio.

As those runners highlight though, Scat Daddy's most noteworthy performers have excelled over sprint distances, while Seahenge's dam, Fools In Love, landed her biggest victory over 7f.

He may shape as if a mile will be within reach, but it remains to be seen if he relishes it quite as much as some of the middle-distance types in the line-up.

Will Champagne Stakes winner Seahenge (striped sleeves) see out the mile?Credit: Edward Whitaker

The Pentagon
Galileo - Vadawina (Unfuwain)
Barronstown Stud
The Pentagon may be the Ballydolyle second string on jockey bookings, but he's anything but a back number based on pedigree. He is one of two runners in the field by perenial champion sire Galileo, whose son Kingsbarns won the 2012 renewal of this event. The Pentagon bids to become the third Group 1-winning two-year-old by Galileo in 2017, following on from Happily and Clemmie, and his sire's 71st top-level winner overall.

The colt is another out of a Group 1-winning mare, in his case Vadawina, an Aga Khan-bred daughter of Unfuwain who landed the 2005 Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary.

She has already produced six winners, including the 1m4f Group 2 winner Vadamar and the mile Listed scorer Vedouma, and should The Pentagon land Saturday's Group 1 prize he would provide a timely update to the pedigree of his year-younger Galileo sister, who was bought by Justin Casse for 1,550,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale.

As you would expect from an Aga Khan family, the pedigree is packed with high-class performers, including the Group 1 winners Valixir and Vadamos. Both the way The Pentagon shapes and his pedigree point to Saturday's step up in trip bringing about further improvement.

The Pentagon: could return to action this weekendCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Verbal Dexterity
Vocalised - Lonrach (Holy Roman Emperor)
Jim Bolger and John Corcoran
Having taken in the Railway Stakes and the National Stakes - in which he ran out a commanding winner - there is no mistaking the trajectory Verbal Dexterity is on. His pedigree, however, is decidedly more left-field. He is a son of Vocalised, a dual Group 3 winner by Vindication, who was trained by Jim Bolger after the master of Coolcullen picked him up for $560,000 from Keeneland in 2007.

Verbal Dexterity is one of just 56 foals from the fourth crop of Vocalised, who stands at Bolger's Redmondstown Stud. Despite the relatively modest size of Vocalised's racecourse representation - he has had just 71 runners from his four crops to date - plenty have displayed latent talent, with this year's two-year-olds including three stakes horses - the Group 3-placed Sometimesadiamond and the Beresford Stakes third Warm The Voice.

Bolger's fingerprints are all over Verbal Dexterity's female line too, as he bred his dam and his granddam, and also trained the third dam, the Listed winner Smaoineamh, under whose name the likes of Bolger-trained Group 1 performers Luminata and Cuis Ghaire appear. Verbal Dexterity is out of Lonrach, a placed mare by Holy Roman Emperor, whose daughters have also produced the likes of Johannes Vermeer and Elizabeth Browning.

His sire may have excelled over 7f, but his dam was placed over 1m4f and there is stamina further back in the family, so there is plenty to suggest Saturday's trip will prove within his compass.

Verbal Dexterity: without a win since landing the National Stakes over two years agoCredit: Alain Barr

The rest
A pair of runners are by first-season sires, namely lively outsider Gabr - a 300,000gns yearling by Intello - and Merlin Magic, a son of Camelot, who won the race himself back in 2011.

Coat Of Arms may be a big price, and deservedly so coming into a Group 1 as a maiden after six starts, but he boasts a 24 carat pedigree nevertheless. He is by Galileo and out of Grade 3 winner La Traviata, which makes him a brother to Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Seventh Heaven and half-brother to Middle Park Stakes winner Crusade.

Theobald, a son of European champion juvenile Teofilo, is another runner bred and trained by Jim Bolger, and is out of a granddaughter of four-time Grade 1 winner Dispute.

Alfa McGuire has the distinction of being the cheapest horse in the field, having been picked up by trainer Bryan Smart for just £11,000 last year.

If you enjoyed this story you might like...

The modest man of modest means who has bred two QEII winners

Outstanding miler Ribchester added to Darley's 2018 roster

Former Godolphin bloodstock manager McStay teams up with old ally Ferguson