'She's very well and looks great' - can William Haggas land Listed win for King?

Monday: 4.00 YarmouthBritish Stallion Studs EBF Beckford Stakes (Listed) | 1m6f | 3yo+ | Sky

The King bagged his first winner since ascending the throne when Just Fine ran away with a handicap at Leicester last Tuesday and now the monarch will be aiming for a first success in Listed company with Perfect Alibi.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old ran in one of the strangest races of the season at Goodwood last time. Only four horses turned up for the Group 3 March Stakes and two were rated just 84 and 64.

Perfect Alibi had 18lb to find with Hoo Ya Mal, who went off 30-100 and did the business, but far from impressively. Perfect Alibi got to within two and a half lengths of the vastly superior winner and even the two rags weren't beaten as far as might have been expected.

The form has since taken a hammering, with Hoo Ya Mal beating only one home in the St Leger on his next start and the third and fourth both finishing well held in far weaker races. It's legitimate to question quite what Perfect Alibi achieved by finishing second there.

She did record a Racing Post Rating of 105 when landing a handicap at Newbury on her previous start, though, and that puts her among the top-rated here with Viola and Quenelle D'Or. She needs to bounce back to that level to win this.

James Fanshawe: trainer of ViolaCredit: Edward Whitaker

Viola also recorded an RPR of 105 when second in a handicap at Goodwood on her last start and she finished ahead of Sea Sylph, who was the horse whom Perfect Alibi beat when registering her 105 at Newbury.

On a strict line through Sea Sylph, Viola should have the edge on Perfect Alibi. However, racing is never quite that simple.

The final word must go to Strawberri, who beat Viola in the Goodwood contest last time by a length and a quarter. However, the runner-up has an 8lb pull and is weighted to reverse the places.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Brunnera and Quenelle D'Or
Quenelle D'Or has suffered all year by not being able to get cut in the ground, so I desperately hope the rain arrives. She hasn't done a lot wrong, she ran well in a strong race last time and is the top rated in the race. We felt we should have won this race last year with Brunnera when it was at Bath and it's been her target all season. I hope she's come on a great deal from her comeback at Newmarket but the forecast rain wouldn't be in her favour.

James Fanshawe, trainer of Viola
She's run really well all year, including last time when she carried a big weight at Goodwood. She looks like she gets this trip well and this doesn't look as tough as some of the races she's run in this year.

William Haggas, trainer of Perfect Alibi
She's very well and looks great. My main concern is the draw as it's a bit wide and there's a short run to the first turn, but we'll see how she goes.
Reporting by James Stevens

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