Mackaar follows Defoe as he takes the high road to Glasgow for Varian

Mackaar has something to live up to when he steps out of handicap company to tackle Hamilton's biggest race of the year, the Listed Glasgow Stakes (8.10).

Two years ago Roger Varian won the race for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum with promising three-year-old handicapper Defoe, who is now a Group 1 winner and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes candidate.

"Mackaar is not quite another Defoe but he's a nice horse and he deserves a chance in a race like this," the trainer said.

Yard favourite Defoe delights Varian's team with Hardwicke success

"The track will suit him and any rain they get will help his chance, he seemed to handle the good to soft ground nicely at Newbury last time. He was a bit unlucky not to win as his saddle slipped at a vital stage.

"He's probably got a few pounds to find but I think he's still on the upgrade so we're hopeful of a good run."

Smart sprinters clash

Seven winning two-year-olds line up for the Listed Thoroughbred Marketing Rose Bowl Stakes (3.40) at Newbury in a race that has gone to high-class types including Limato and Tasleet in the last five seasons.

Tasleet's trainer William Haggas bids to land the prize again for Hamdan Al Maktoum, whose colours will be carried by Nottingham and York scorer Al Aakif.

"He's won his maiden and his novice quite nicely," Haggas said. "He deserves a step up in class.

"Whether or not he wants a bit further than six furlongs we'll see tomorrow – he's a work in progress but he's going the right way."

James Tate hopes that Dream Shot can improve on his Sandown second and said: "He ran well there and we're hoping he'll improve for the six furlongs."

'He was a hell of a horse'

Memories of hurdling royalty will be stirred when the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's latest horse makes her debut in the 6f fillies' novice stakes (2.30) at Newbury.

No less an authority than Vincent O'Brien described Golden Cygnet as "the best hurdler I've ever seen" and his death in the 1978 Scottish Champion Hurdle robbed jump racing of a major star.

His two-year-old namesake is trained by Ralph Beckett, who said of the original: "I knew the jockey Boots Madden, he's a pal of a pal of mine, and I vividly remember discussing the horse one night a long time ago. He was a hell of a horse.

"Someone asked how on earth Weatherbys passed the name but somebody else pointed out that the 1978 Scottish Champion Hurdle is 41 years ago, it's a very different era."

The new Golden Cygnet is owned and bred by the royal couple and Beckett said: "She's a nice filly who's come to hand well in the last three weeks.

"She might need a little further than this six furlongs but it's a good spot to start and she'll run a nice race. We like her and she has a future."

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