9th-Jul-2020

Highest Ground has been all the rage for the Dante ever since Sir Michael Stoute announced that he was by-passing the Derby in favour of the Dante, which is a phrase you don’t hear often.  He was impressive in winning at Haydock, but he is very short for a horse who is stepping up so significantly in grade.

Cormorant is interesting, his Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial win has worked out well through Russain Emperor, but he did have the run of the race that day, and he is probably going to have to step up again if he is going to win today.

Thunderous is going to have to step up as well, but there is a lot to like about Mark Johnston’s horse.  He was the only one who was able to give Volkan Star a race in the Fairway Stakes at Newmarket last time.  Volkan Star proved to be the stronger horse in the end, but that Godolphin horse is a really expensive and talented and progressive horse, and Thunderous made him fight, with the pair of them pulling miles clear of their rivals.

That was on fast ground, but Thunderous proved that he could handle soft ground last year when he won the Listed Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury last August.  He won all three of his races last year as a juvenile, and that was a really nice start to the season at Newmarket last time.  He should be able to build on that, and he could be a big player here.

THUNDEROUS WON (ADV 7/1, SP 13/2)