Kings can continue to make up for lost time

Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes
3.05 Newbury

After an absence since the 2014 St Leger, Kings Fete has been progressive this year. He followed a fine run at Royal Ascot by winning at Goodwood against this sort of opposition. He is capable of further improvement and a penalty is regularly carried to victory in this.

Battersea ran well in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes behind Big Orange following a four-month absence. That Group 2 has a fine record of producing the winner. He is still relatively lightly raced, has been waiting for fast ground and looks open to improvement.

Red Cardinal completed a hat-trick off 88 in a Yarmouth handicap in June and connections have opted to run him here rather than wait to see if he gets into the Ebor off an attractive 95. Historically, horses can come from handicaps, although they are more likely to be progressive three-year-olds.

Since winning the Lingfield Derby Trial, Humphrey Bogart has run well at Epsom, Ascot and Belmont. He has the right credentials, but three-year-olds trail their elders by 28 to 12 over four decades.

Selection Kings Fete
Alternative Humphrey Bogart

Betfred Hungerford Stakes
4.10 Newbury

Convey has had an up-and-down year. He was a fine second to Home Of The Brave in the John of Gaunt in May. Former Hungerford winners Sleeping Indian, With Reason and Muhtathir were successful in that Haydock Group 3, while Breton Rock was runner-up in 2014 before taking this. He was the top-rated runner when a fluent winner of a Listed race last time and may have gained the confidence to progress further.

Dark Emerald can’t be judged on his penultimate effort in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket, which was run in a monsoon. He produced a game effort when runner-up over course and distance last time, but that handicap hasn’t produced the Hungerford winner.
Golden Steps, another handicapper, did the business in the Bunbury Cup last month and has been excellent in large fields.He bids to emulate Atavus, who claimed the most prestigious midsummer 7f handicap in 2001 before stepping up in class .The main concern is whether a small-field tactical Pattern race is going to suit.

Home Of The Brave’s victories in the Leicestershire and John of Gaunt were regular stepping-stones for former winners. He surpassed those efforts when second in last month’s Lennox Stakes – a more competitive Group 2 than this in which he couldn’t really take on his stablemate for the lead. Paco Boy and Balthazaar’s Gift were first and second in that event before winning here. He may do better again if allowed to make the running.

Jallota tends to like some give underfoot. He attempts to make the leap to Pattern-race company and takes in this event rather than one next week at York, where he excels.

Dual Group 3 winner Markaz hasn’t settled in two of his four races this season, but with Jallota and Home Of The Brave at the front end, there should be a decent pace. He doesn’t have to find much on his second to Limato in a Group 2 at Doncaster last season.

Despite being too keen, Richard Pankhurst showed promise on his return at Ascot last month. He finished last when raised in class for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, but it is interesting John Gosden persists with him in a race he has won five times. The colt is unbeaten at this trip and much better can be expected.

Selection Convey
Alternative Home Of The Brave