Early starts the order of the week as the temperature soars in Suffolk

Superstars

From the beginning of this week most yards have started pulling out earlier because of the heat which is expected to hit 34C in these parts by Monday. On the back of the third driest first half of the year for 60 years, the Al Bahathri Polytrack was in demand and hosted Gosden superstars Mishriff, Emily Upjohn (Frankie Dettori), Nashwa and Stradivarius (Rab Havlin) who were all on a 5am pullout.

Mishriff looks to have come out of the Eclipse in great shape and will give the younger brigade something to think about in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week, a race in which he chased home Adayar a year ago.

Roger Varian's string were out at 5.50am

Cadillac on the road to Newbury

Maintaining the watered gallop has been a challenge in the current spell but it was open as usual on Tuesday and Wednesday after 15mm of water was put on by Jockey Club Estates. Among those in evidence on the first day was Kevin Philippart de Foy who used it for his recent acquisition Cadillac (Jack Mitchell) who mixed it with the classy Alrehb.