'I'll be disappointed if he doesn't win a Group 1' - Almaqam all set for York return with Kieran Shoemark called up

Ed Walker is relishing the return of stable star Almaqam at York on Saturday and hopes he has a clear passage to competing in all of the top-class races until the end of the season.

The winner of the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May, Almaqam has been entered in this weekend's Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes, which is set to be his third appearance of the campaign.

The son of Lope De Vega is very much the apple of Walker’s eye, and the trainer is excited and apprehensive ahead of his return to the track.

Walker said: "We’ve always thought the world of him. He’s seriously exciting and when you have high expectations and hopes, that's when the nerves kick in. It makes me nervous just talking about it. 

"Most of my best horses have raced at a mile or less, so he’s definitely the best mile-plus horse I’ve had by a long way, certainly as a colt. Dreamloper was a good miler, and Scenic is a very good middle-distance filly.

"He’s very special and has the most wonderful temperament. I’ll be very disappointed if he finishes his career without winning a Group 1. He deserves a place at stud, people should breed from him, because he’s got everything you’d want in a racehorse."

Almaqam (centre): could feature in all the top Group 1s in the autumnCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Almaqam is ante-post favourite for the York Stakes, with the three-year-old Stanhope Gardens his chief market rival in a race that attracted 13 runners at the five-day confirmation stage on Tuesday.

"It’s a strong race," said Walker. "I saw he was 5-4 favourite, which I thought was quite punchy. On ratings there are two or three similar to him, but his reputation is probably bigger than what he’s achieved. He beat [Prince of Wales's winner] Ombudsman, who has gone on to do what he’s done, and the world thinks Almaqam is there too."

Walker confirmed that Kieran Shoemark will ride the four-year-old for the first time, and believes the York contest is the logical race for Almaqam after he was taken out of Saturday's King George at Ascot.

He said: "We didn’t look at the King George seriously. We kept an eye on it in case it cut up, but I didn’t feel Ascot was the track to test him over a mile and a half for the first time. It would’ve probably been on quickish ground against a load of Ballydoyle horses who stay further and who will make it a real test of stamina. We didn’t feel it was the right spot.

Kieran Shoemark takes over on Almaqam from Oisin Murphy, who is riding at Ascot on Saturday

"The ground should be good at York and it’s the perfect track and trip. Kieran will ride him and it looks a natural stepping stone as he’s won a Listed race and a Group 3, so we’ll have a go at a Group 2. Hopefully he can win that and then we’ll go back into Group 1s. 

"The dream would be that he wins well on Saturday, and then you’d throw him right in at the deep end in the Juddmonte International in August if it were soft ground."

A lot will depend on how he performs on Saturday with regard to longer-term targets, but the Lambourn trainer is setting the bar high.

He added: "The Irish Champion Stakes is a perfect spot alongside our Champion Stakes, and while the Arc is not a major target it will be considered, we’ll see what the ground is like. We're looking at races over ten furlongs at the moment, although he’ll stay in the Arc for now."

Sky Bet York Stakes (2.40 York, Saturday)

Sky Bet: 10-11 Almaqam, 7-2 Stanhope Gardens, 7 Persica, 12 Al Aasy, Nations Pride, 14 Bay City Roller, Royal Champion, Royal Rhyme, 16 bar.

Read more:

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Coronation Cup rematch still on the cards after eight kept in contention for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 

'He’s got a lot of what they call raw speed’ - John Gosden runs the rule over his Glorious Goodwood A-team 

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