24th-Aug-2013

It is a shame that Cristoforo Colombo and Glory Awaits have come out (of this race), both horses were there to be taken on on the ground. However, even in their absence, I still think that it is worth backing Sirius Prospect (at 3/1) to beat Rex Imperator and the rest.

Rex Imperator has shown all his form on good or fast ground, and this will be a totally different type of race to the Stewards’ Cup, in which he excelled last time. Also, he may not have fully got home when he was tried over seven furlongs earlier in the season, although admittedly he was beaten by a rapidly improving horse in Diescentric then.

By contrst, old friend Sirius Prospect has everything in his favour. We know that he goes well on soft ground. He won a listed race at Doncaster in November 2011 on soft ground, and the last time he ran on soft ground, he finished third to Maarek in the Group 2 sprint on Champions Day at Ascot last October, when he didn’t have the best of draws.

He also goes really well at York. He has won twice from five starts there. Also, he was back to form when winning at the track four weeks ago, stepped up to seven furlongs for the first time this season. He saw the trip out really well to beat course specialist Smarty Socks, the pair of them clear of the field in a decent handicap.

He raced off a mark of 102 that day, which still leaves him with a bit to find on Rex Imperator. However, now that Dean Ivory’s gelding is back to form, running at a track at which he has shown his best form, and on ground on which he goes well, he is a major player today, especially when the ground is potentially such a negative for his main rival.

He had no chance in the Betfred Mile – the biggest draw race on the calendar – last time from stall 21, but everything looks right for him today.

SIRIUS PROSPECT WON (ADV 3/1, SP 5/2)