Adayar is back: Derby and King George winner makes belated seasonal return

Thursday: 4.20 DoncasterHilton Garden Inn Doncaster Conditions Stakes | 1m2f | 3yo+ | Sky

Adayar, last year’s Derby and King George winner, will step foot on a racecourse for the first time this year when taking on just two opponents in the 1m2f conditions race.

In a contest for horses who have not won a Pattern race since the end of September last year, Adayar will line up alongside stablemate Dhahabi, a 3.1 million guineas brother to 2015 Derby winner Golden Horn, and Masekela, who was fourth to Desert Crown in the Epsom Classic in June.

Adayar was last seen finishing fifth behind Sealiway in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last October, two weeks after coming home fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, his only two outings after winning the Derby at Epsom and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

William Buick with Adayar after winning last year's King GeorgeCredit: Edward Whitaker

A low-key comeback has been selected for the four-year-old after the son of Frankel missed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and this year’s King George due to a cough, while trainer Charlie Appleby decided against running him in last weekend’s Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton.

Appleby said: “Adayar’s preparation has gone well and we felt this looked like the right race in which to start his belated four-year-old campaign. As with any horse following a significant time off, we will be expecting him to come forward for the run.

“He had a nice blow under William Buick on Tuesday and we're looking forward to seeing him back on the track. Hopefully, this will give us a good steer as to where we go for the rest of the year.”

It is not uncommon for this race to draw a small field, or be used by trainers bringing back talented performers from an absence.

Two years ago, Logician landed this contest from one rival at odds of 1-7 on his first start since winning the St Leger the previous year, while the average number of horses lining up in the race over the last ten years is four.

The 127-rated Adayar is significantly favoured by the race conditions, as well as having by far the best form. Dhahabi, who is running for the first time since being gelded, has not won since scoring on his debut as a two-year-old in 2020. He was second in a handicap at Doncaster on his most recent outing in June and has an official mark 25lb shy of Adayar.

Masekela, who gets 6lb from Adayar but is rated 23lb inferior, landed a Listed contest last year and was beaten just over eight lengths in the Derby, but has since failed to land a blow in the Bahrain Trophy, the Gordon Stakes and the Strensall Stakes.

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