Trueshan declared for Sagaro return at Ascot on Wednesday - but Alan King thinks a 'personal best' is required

Three-time Group 1 winner Trueshan is "working as well as ever" as he prepares to make his seasonal comeback in Wednesday's Longines Sagaro Stakes (2.15) at Ascot.

The popular Alan King-trained eight-year-old has been a staple in the big staying races since 2021 and will return to the track having won a second Group 1 Prix du Cadran at Longchamp last season.

The winner of 15 of his 26 races and £1.82 million in prize-money, Trueshan will face last season's emphatic Goodwood Cup winner Quickthorn and Gold Cup runner-up Coltrane in the Group 3.

"He probably needs a personal best as there are two horses in Quickthorn and Coltrane rated above him and he's got to give them seven pounds," said King. "He's in great form and Hollie Doyle rode him in work on Saturday morning. She was delighted with him and the forecast looks encouraging with a bit of rain around. It will be a good starting point."

Trueshan finished fourth behind Coltrane in last season's Sagaro before winning the Group 2 Doncaster Cup and a second Cadran following a breathing operation. He has had further wind surgery since his last run and is showing all the right signs in his homework.

King said: "We've done his wind again. We did it last year and, with the soft palate, it's something you do annually with a lot of horses. It definitely needed a wee bit of tidying up. He's working as well as he's ever done."

As well as Quickthorn and Coltrane, Trueshan's other rivals are Ebor and Doncaster Cup runner-up Sweet William and Group 3 winner Caius Chorister.

A field of 11 will go to post for the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial (2.50) on the same card, including last season's Group 2 July Stakes winner Jasour and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint third Starlust.

Longines Sagaro Stakes, 2.15 Ascot, Wednesday
William Hill: 5-2 Coltrane, 11-4 Trueshan, 3 Sweet William, 7-2 Quickthorn, 9 Caius Chorister

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