Unbeaten Ombudsman has superstar potential - but plenty of dangers lurk in high-class Brigadier Gerard Stakes

Sandown's Brigadier Gerard Stakes has a history of being used as a springboard to Group 1 success, and recent winners include Hukum, who went on to land the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes next time out, Lord North, who took the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on his next start, and Poet's Word, who won both.

If there is a superstar in the field this year, it will surely be the late-maturing Ombudsman, who is only 11 months into his career at the age of four, and was brought along steadily by John and Thady Gosden last season, winning a pair of novice events in June and July before furthering his education in France.

"It will be all about next year," said John Gosden after his impressive win in Listed company at Deauville, after which the son of Night Of Thunder made it 4-4 in a Group 3 at Longchamp.

He is penalised for that, and this will very much be a starting point, but entries in the Prince of Wales's, Eclipse and Arc tell you he is held in high regard.

Ed Walker's Almaqam is a clear second favourite after not quite getting the run of the race on his seasonal return.

However, he shapes as if he wants a strong test at 1m2f now, and you don't often get that in Group races at Sandown. Still, he won the Heron very easily on soft ground on this card last year, and will have been helped by the heavy rain on Tuesday, while he is officially the best horse in the race even without Ombudsman carrying a penalty.

Others to consider in a race far more competitive than when Royal Rhyme beat just three rivals on soft ground last year, are Enfjaar and Cicero's Gift.

Enfjaar: winner of last year's John Smith's Cup at York

The former has an impeccable first-time-out record, won the John Smith's Cup on easy going last year, and is worth another go in Group company, having possibly found the trip too short and ground too fast when only fifth in the 1m1f Strensall at York last August.

He was giving 5lb to the now 112-rated Persica when going down by half a length on his final outing in Listed company at Ayr in September, and that form puts him on the premises.

Cicero's Gift has his first crack at 1m2f, a trip for which he's not really bred, although he's not really bred for a mile either (both sire and dam sprinters) and he gets that really well.

A big handicap winner at the course last July, he came from a long way back to be third to Dancing Gemini in the bet365 Mile at Sandown and is certainly worth a crack on that evidence.
Analysis by Paul Kealy

Going update

The going was described officially as good on the sprint and round courses on Wednesday, with showers possible on Thursday morning.

Can Almaqam take leading role?

He was chief supporting act 12 months ago but this time he could take the leading role — and have his name in lights by the end of the season.

It was on this card last year that Almaqam first showed his star quality, bolting up by nearly four lengths in the Heron Stakes.

He confirmed that promise when just touched off in the Prix Dollar at the Arc meeting and is highly thought of by Ed Walker, who has entered him for the Arc itself this year, as well as the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Coral-Eclipse.

Almaqam (yellow silks, centre): runs in the Brigadier Gerard StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Walker had been tempted to run the four-year-old, who was an unlucky third in the Gordon Richards Stakes here last month, in the Tattersalls Gold Cup or Prix d’Ispahan last weekend. He said: “We decided in the end not to take on Group 1 opposition and to find an easier spot for him instead.

“We think the world of him and haven't lost any belief in him at all. But he could have run a big race without winning and he's only a Listed winner so we want to get his head back in front. There's plenty of time to throw him in at the deep end.

“Conditions will hopefully be fine for him and he's come on plenty for his reappearance in a messy Gordon Richards Stakes.”

What they say

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Ombudsman
He had a nice break over the winter and the plan has always been to come here followed then by hopefully Royal Ascot. We’ve taken our time with him and this is a good spot to start his season off. He’s made good progress this year and seems in very good order with himself.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Military Order
Military Order comes into this in great shape on the back of his win at Kempton and we automatically thought about coming here following that, although we'll be watching the weather to see how much rain Sandown gets. He'll run if it’s a sound surface and you’d hope that he would be a live contender.

Military Order: Kempton winner expected to be a live contenderCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Roger Varian, trainer of Enfjaar
It's very much a starting point to his season. It's a strong renewal and he's ready to go but we expect him to improve for it.

George Scott, trainer of Phantom Flight
He'll have to run a career best to get involved but he showed himself to be a smart horse in Bahrain through winter and deserves to take his chance.
Reporting by David Carr

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.