Frankie Dettori hopes to be flying once again on speedy youngster A'Ali

Wainwright Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2) | 5f | ITV/Sky

Can A'li bounce back?

No two-year-old looked speedier in the first half of the season than £135,000 breeze-up buy A'Ali.

He made that price tag look money well spent as he took the Norfolk Stakes with authority at Royal Ascot and then readily followed up in the Prix Robert Papin at Deauville.

That made his modest fifth in the Group 1 Prix Morny all the more deflating – and makes it all the more believable that it was the heavy ground at Deauville which blunted his fine speed.

Trainer Simon Crisford has not lost faith in A'Ali, who should find underfoot conditions much more suitable in the Flying Childers, and said of Frankie Dettori's mount: "We felt the ground at Deauville was too soft and testing for him.

"He's back to five furlongs on a quicker surface and he's in good form. His form has been extremely good all summer and we feel that he's in as good a shape now as we've seen him all season."

Will there be a rare Irish winner of the race?

Cheltenham this isn't. Ireland has had a thin time in this juvenile sprint’s 52-year history, landing it only five times – with Requinto (2011) the only winner since 1981.

But history has never lessened the ambition of Joseph O'Brien, who won the Melbourne Cup within 18 months of taking out a training licence and who looks to have a prime candidate here.

Alligator Alley was beaten just a length in the Molecomb Stakes, despite meeting plenty of the traffic problems for which Goodwood is famous, then made short work of his rivals in the Roses Stakes at York.

Wheels On Fire will also be running for Ireland, for the first time, having moved to Aidan Fogarty since finishing fifth in the Molecomb for previous trainer Matthieu Palussiere.

Fogarty said: "I don't know a whole pile about him as we haven't had him very long. He ran at Goodwood, after which we took him home and freshened him up, but the lads in France have done all the work with him.

"It's his first run for us and if he could finish in the money we'd be happy, but I'd say the favourite [A'Ali] could be a hard horse to beat."

Can the colts be beaten?

Only one filly has won this race since 2009, Queen Mary winner Heartache scoring for Clive Cox two years ago.

But three of them take their chance in this year's contest, with Flaming Princess looking the pick having won a Listed race at Deauville and subsequently finishing third in Group 3 company at Chantilly.

Trainer Richard Fahey said: "She's very honest and tries very hard but needs to step up to beat the two top colts. We just hope she can get some black type."

Key statistic: Nine of the last ten winners had already won in Pattern or Listed company over 5f

Who was Flying Childers?

The horse commemorated by this prestigious two-year-old sprint was one of racing’s stars, foaled not far from Doncaster in 1714.

He was no speedster himself, whatever the claims made for his clock-busting efforts as his reputation became the stuff of legend in the sport’s early days.

Rather, he raced over extreme distances, as all horses did at the time, and retired undefeated after winning a handful of matches at up to six miles.

The future champion sire was owned by the Duke of Devonshire, who apparently turned down numerous bids for his superstar, including from one prospective purchaser who reportedly offered him the horse’s weight in gold.

What they say

James Tate, trainer of Dream Shot
He's got to go some to win but he's in good form and didn't get a lot of luck in running in his last race. He's got plenty of ability, there aren't many runners and funny things can happen in races like this.

Stuart Williams, trainer of Golden Dragon
His owners are very keen to run him. He's got a lot to find on form but is in good shape and ready to run.

Karl Burke, trainer of Seize The Time
She's definitely better than she showed when disappointing at Newbury last time as she hated the ground and never ran her race. It's hard to know whether or not she's good enough for a Group 2, but she won well first time out at Beverley and she's strengthened a lot in the last month. She's working well and is worth a go.

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