PREVIEW: Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2)

14.35 Newmarket: Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2)

Elm Park: Won maiden in impressive style and followed up with Listed success over 1m from the front - good form, beating horses placed in Group level. Bred for middle distance and will get further in time. Testing finish should suit today, quick ground slight concern, may be found out for speed.

Lord Ben Stack: Extremely impressive maiden winner, overcame wide draw and early keenness, made all. Lengthened in eye-catching style, looks smart and big, scopy colt. Bred for middle-distance, quick ground unknown. 

Medrano: Won maiden over 7f at third attempt, when up with the pace (beat LBS). Tried to make all in Listed race over 1m lto, got tired in the end, finished well beaten runner-up. Probably did too much in front. Bred to get much further.

Misterioso: Won maiden really nicely on second time asking, following eye-catching debut. Travelled strongly, put race to bed in closing stages. Decent form. Bred for mile and quick ground fine. Looks to have plenty of scope.

Nafaqa: Won Listed race over 7f lto, stand out piece of form, beating subsequent Group 2 winner. Smart, was able to be competitive in Listed race on debut at Royal Ascot. Step up in trip perfectly fine on pedigree. The horse to beat.

Salateen: Won nicely lto after fading in Group 3 before. Form with Medrano and LBS. Step up in trip might not entirely suit, even though loads of stamina on dam side. 

Verdict: Extremely deep and competitive race. All runners have class and showed good recent form. Interesting to see how it tactically plays out as most runners have been up with the pace, if not even making all in their last starts. Favourite Nafaqa seems one who don't need to be close to the speed and his recent Listed success at Doncaster is potentially the strongest piece of form, since the runner-up won subsequently on Group 2 level. He was badly hanging in the closing stages either. Upped in trip should be fine on pedigree. However he's short enough in the betting and no certainty since others make appeal on form and prices too. Richard Hannon's Misterioso was eye-catching on debut when ridden way too far off the pace and as a result he didn't get a clear run but stayed on nicely while travelling strongly for long time. A no-nonsense ride in his second start from the front, and he travelled super strongly on the bridle again, until putting the race to bed under hands and heels. Form looks decent and he can improve further. More so, he is bred to be a miler on fast ground. Elm Park was impressive in his latest too, winning on Listed level, but the ground might be against him and I fear he could be found out for speed. Almost similar worries are over Lord Ben Stack, but he is double the price of Elm Park. He didn't have an easy race on debut over 7f, when fourth behind Medrano and Salateen, however upped in trip, he made no mistake and put in a bold show despite a wide draw and showing keenes early on. Form is decent and he looks a big, scopy colt, who has more to offer. Salateen and Medrano have decent form to offer themselves. My perception is, they might just be a bit short of class against this opposition today.

Misterioso @ 10/1 Bet365 – 2pts win

Lord Ben stack @ 9/1 Bet365 – 2pts win