17th-Jun-2020

I think that Japan could be a headline horse this year.  He could win a lot of these top class middle distance races.  However, plenty of people seem to be of the same opinion, he is short today, and there is a chance that he will be better over a mile and a half than over today’s 10-furlong trip.

I am taking him on today with Lord North.  John Gosden’s horse was seriously progressive last season, he won the Cambridgeshire and a listed race, and he finished second in the Balmoral Handicap.  And he has already stepped up again this season in winning the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Haydock 10 days ago.

Sangarius probably under-performed that day, but Lord North had to dig deep to get the better of Elarqam, who is top class.

Even his new mark of 116 leaves him with 6lb to find with Japan and Addeybb, who are both rated 122, but there is every chance that he can get up to that type of mark, and he has race fitness on his side today.  As well as that, he won’t mind easy ground, and this 10-furlong trip is probably his optimum.

I do like Addeybb, but the ground probably won’t be soft enough for him to be at his best.  Lord North is the value of the race.

LORD NORTH WON (ADV 7/1, SP 5/1)