Can Sir Michael Stoute continue his domination of the Brigadier Gerard?

2.40 Haydock
Betway Brigadier Gerard Stakes (Group 3) | 1m2f | 4yo+ | ITV/RTV

The Brigadier Gerard holds a similar role on the Flat to the Ladbrokes Gold Cup over jumps. It is where those slow starters looking to earn a starring role in the most glamorous division tend to kick off their campaigns.

As a result, it should come as no surprise that Sir Michael Stoute farms the race as those sorts of horses are his stock-in-trade. It is telling that he has chosen the race for Sangarius.

This is a second shot at redemption for Sangarius, who emerged as a potential star two-year-old but then lost his way before a decisive victory in last year's Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot. He strictly has improvement to find with most of these rivals, but can be taken as odds-on to discover at least some of it.

Sangarius was last seen winning the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

Elarqam sets a clear standard, having belatedly come good himself last year. He won the York Stakes and was third in the Juddmonte International, although the latter was a messy race.

The theme of redemption runs through into Telecaster, who went off third favourite for the Derby but seemed not to be right either there or in the Eclipse and was put away thereafter. He beat Too Darn Hot in the Dante before that, so his class for at least lower Group races can hardly be questioned.

Lord North brings no Group form, but possibly the most impressive handicap performance of 2019 from landing a hefty gamble in the Cambridgeshire. This will truly test his mettle, more than the small-field Listed race he won last time in November.

Race analysis by Keith Melrose

What the trainers say

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of King Ottokar
Rain has come, which is good news. He'll like ten furlongs and the track. It's a very good race – the Brigadier Gerard is always a good race – but this is the right starting point. He's done well over the winter, he's really filled out and we're looking forward to seeing how he gets on. It will give us some direction about where we go for the rest of the year. He's had a good prep, he wouldn't have missed much work through the spring and I feel like we've got him in a good place. He's ready to go and run a big race but he's taking on some pretty nice horses.

John Gosden, trainer of Lord North
They've had some rain up there, which will suit him, and he's been pleasing us at home, although I see Mark Johnston has his good horse in there.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Telecaster
We wanted some rain, so he’s a definite runner. We didn’t want him running on fast ground first time out, we wanted to give him as nice an experience as possible after having such a long time off. He’s fit enough to run but he’ll obviously lack a racing edge.

Key stat

Although the Brigadier Gerard is run at an alternative location this year, Sir Michael Stoute has trained the winner in five of the last nine years and 11 times in total. Sangarius is his representative this year.

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