Ratings suggest the Hungerford betting is all wrong - so could this be another year when the favourite fails to deliver?

The elevation of next week’s City of York Stakes to Group 1 level was always likely to have a negative impact on the Hungerford Stakes. That has already come to fruition this year.

The Hungerford has often been the go-to British contest for those aiming at the Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend, which for so long has been the only top-level open-age contest over this seven-furlong distance in Europe, but that mantle will now likely be passed on to the much more valuable contest at York in seven days’ time.

The biggest evidence of that is the fact Godolphin had three horses feature among the confirmations on Monday, including last year’s 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech and top-level scorer Shadow Of Light, but instead rely on Spy Chief, who is at least 10lb inferior to those horses on official ratings.