Trainers' verdicts on a race that marks the return of Nathra

3.20 AscotCarraig Insurance British EBF Valiant Stakes | Listed | 1m | 3yo + |RUK

Last year's French 1,000 Guineas second Nathra makes a belated reappearance with her trainer John Gosden reporting her in good form.

Frankie Dettori's mount made a perfect return at three when winning the Nell Gwyn Stakes but was only fifth behind Minding in the 1,000 Guineas and disappointed afterwards in the Coronation Stakes.

She ended the season a beaten favourite behind colts in Newmarket's Joel Stakes, but this represents a big drop in class and she will have a big chance if she is back to her best.

This is a strong Listed race, however, with fellow four-year-old Golden Stunner a solid alternative and the improving three-year-olds Mittens and Tisbutadream also posing viable threats.

Trainers with 'previous'

Sir Michael Stoute, Ralph Beckett and William Haggas are all recent winners of this Listed event. Stoute's winner Strawberrydaiquiri came via the same route as Tisbutadream, winner of the Listed race over this trip at Sandown earlier this month, but the Listed penalty that the Stoute filly had to overcome no longer applies

Three-year-olds ahead

Three-year-old winners outnumber older winners by six to four in the last decade.

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Golden Stunner
She's very adaptable as regards to the ground, and her last piece of work was good. Mr Gosden's filly [Nathra] will be tough to beat if she's back to her best, but we go there with every chance.

Luca Cumani, trainer of Materialistic
She's on a bit of a retrieval mission. She ran well at Kempton first time out this season and the form was upheld by the winner, but she's run two undistinguished races since, so we'll have to see what she can come up with.

John Gosden, trainer of Nathra and Whispering Bell
Nathra has taken her time to come to hand this year but is in good form now and should like the trip and the ground. Whispering Bell won well at Windsor last time and black type is the aim with her.

On Her Toes: 'I think this is quite a tough race for her', says William HaggasCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Hughie Morrison, trainer of Pirouette
We are putting blinkers on to sharpen her up, but if there's any more rain we will be reviewing her participation.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Khalid Abdullah, owner of Mittens
She's been a bit of a work in progress and was quite backward in coming to hand, but she's progressed nicely lately. We thought she might be a mile-and-a-quarter-plus filly, but dropping back to a mile seems to have helped and I think cut in the ground has been key too. She did it well over the course and distance last time.

William Haggas, trainer of On Her Toes
She was a Listed winner at two but she's finding it hard this year and I think this is quite a tough race for her. She's not well drawn, but she's in good form and hopefully she'll run into a place.

James Tate, trainer of Urban Fox
She started the season well and was then a bit flat in the Guineas. I think we can blame the track at Epsom last time, but she still has to bounce back from two disappointing runs. If she does, she'll be a danger to all. We're trying her in blinkers as she can be inclined to stop when she hits the front.