2nd-Oct-2021

Hukum is favourite for the Cumberland Lodge, but he is 3/1 favourite, and he should probably be a fair bit shorter than that.

Owen Burrows’ horse has lots in his favour.  He has been nicely progressive this season, he was good in winning the Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup at York in July, and in winning the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in August, and, while he was beaten at odds-on at Kempton last time, he was beaten by a talented and progressive horse in Hamish, under less than optimal conditions.

He should be happier today back at Ascot, where he ran a big race in the Hardwicke Stakes at this year’s Royal meeting, and where he won the King George V Handicap at last year’s Royal meeting, and back on easy ground.

His draw in stall two is not ideal, but Jim Crowley will surely have a plan to mitigate that, it is a small field and, actually, the last three winners of the Cumberland Lodge (the most recent one admittedly at York) were drawn four or lower.

HUKUM WON (ADV 3/1, SP 85/40)