Laneqash a short-priced favourite to further advertise strong Doncaster form

3.35 Newbury
Molson Coors Beverage Company Stakes (registered as the Horris Hill Stakes) (Group 3) | 7f | 2yo | ITV4/RTV

In 2018 Hamdan Al Maktoum had his silks carried to victory in the Horris Hill by Mohaather.

Whether Laneqash can scale the same heights as the subsequent Sussex Stakes winner remains to be seen, but he could give his powerful owner another victory in the race.

For that to happen, Laneqash will need to handle soft conditions, having won on good to firm on his debut at Ascot, before finishing second in a Listed race at Doncaster on good.

Conditions will be far slower at Newbury on Saturday, although Laneqash's profile does offer hope in that regard, with sire Cable Bay and dam Bonhomie acting on soft.

The form of the Doncaster second has worked out well, with winner New Mandate following up in the Group 2 Royal Lodge. On official ratings Laneqash is vastly superior to his rivals, but testing ground can lead to surprise results and no favourite has won this in the last ten years.

Existent was considered good enough to go to Royal Ascot for the Coventry after finishing third on debut, and alhough only ninth that day, the esteem he is held in was on show last time out at Newmarket.

Having returned to the track at the start of the month, Existent dotted up by six lengths and that success came on soft ground. With the market dominated by Laneqash, Existent offers obvious appeal at the prices.

Nastase delivered a career-best in the Listed Rockingham Stakes, and, although he handles soft ground, he was beaten twice over 7f earlier this season and connections said the colt benefited from running over 6f last time.

The return to a slower surface could help Mujbar get on track. He was a winner on soft, then seemed to find conditions a bit too lively in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
David Baxter, Juvenile Judge

What they say

David Menuisier, trainer of Autumn Twilight
The ground and trip will be no problem for him and we'll see how he runs before we decide if he goes to the horses-in-training sale or not. He won well at Salisbury but is short on experience.

Gary Moore, trainer of Champagne Piaff
On ratings he shouldn't even be in the race but the key thing is I know he handles heavy ground. We are taking a chance and if it comes off, happy days!

John Gosden, trainer of Existent
We know he handles soft as he showed by winning nicely at Newmarket last time, but whether he handles heavy at Newbury is another matter as it can get attritional there in the autumn. If he handles the ground there's no reason why he can't run a big race.

Roger Varian, trainer of Laneqash and Saint Lawrence
There's a slight question mark over the ground for Laneqash but we are hopeful he can handle it, and he is a smart colt. The form of his second in a Listed race at Doncaster could not have worked out any better and he has worked nicely at home since. Saint Lawrence is a solid performer who may well have found the ground a bit lively last time. He's a previous course-and-distance winner with some ease in the ground and could well outrun his odds.

Richard Hills, assistant racing manager to Hamdan Al Maktoum, owner of Mujbar
He ran well to be fourth in the Champagne Stakes and before that won on soft at Newmarket, so deserves to take his chance. They have it all to do against Laneqash I would think.

Harry Bentley, rider of Star Of Orion
I won on him at Newmarket first time out and he's been a very consistent horse since and his second in a sales race at the Curragh last time was a huge run considering it was over a trip too short for him. I was riding there that day and the ground was on the easy side of good, so I'd be hopeful he can handle conditions.
Reporting by David Milnes

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