Tattersalls Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Gelded before his debut second in June, Cilician is yet to get off the mark in seven starts, though he has finished runner-up a further three times and outran his odds to finish five lengths behind Great Barrier Reef in the Coventry Stakes on his second start.

The fact he was pitched into that race less than three weeks after his debut suggests he is well regarded by his trainer, who can train useful two-year-olds, but he is yet to really kick on from that run and this looks a bridge too far. It’s a surpsie to see him stepped beack down to seven furlongs after seeing out Sandown’s stiff mile well last time when second.

Tom Clover’s colt is two from four and has exclusively races over this trip of seven furlongs so far. He beat the re-opposing Cilician by a head to shed his maiden tag at the second attempt and won a handicap comfortably at Doncaster two weeks ago, either side of a well-beaten ninth in the Acomb.

The fact he only beat one rival home in that suggests this Group Three over the same distance will also be too tough an assignment, though he does seemingly handle both fast ground and softer conditions.

Once-raced son of Too Darn Hot who made good on his market support to win by a length and a half at Newmarket ‘s July Course last month, coming from the rear of the field to win in good style.

Steps up a furlong in trip here (his dam was placed over a mile) and Saffie Osborne takes over, both of which look positives. A step forward looks likely but whether this race will be run to suit is less certain.

Steadily progressive colt was second on his first two starts at Newbury on different ground conditions but seemed to relish the step up to seven furlongs when winning at Leicester on quick ground last month, having made every yard of the running under Charlie Bishop.

He only beat two rivals there and clearly got the run of the race, but runner-up Al Wathba has won previously and it is not out of the question that this son of No Nay Never can take another step forward here under similar tactics that so often work at this track.

William Haggas’s well-bred colt was a promising fifth on debut at York, but as is typical for a Somerville Lodge juvenile, he learnt plenty from that effort and improved to win second time out when upped to seven furlongs.

He was slowly into stride on debut at York but broke smartly and made all at the same track three weeks ago, and he powered clear to win impressively by two and a half lengths.

The booking of Ryan Moore looks an obvious positive here, with further improvement likely, though it remains to be seen how he will handle fast ground.

A son of leading first-crop sire Bayside Boy, Marco Botti’s colt was a wide-margin winner at Lingfield over seven furlongs on his second start in May but disappointed when last seen in the Superlative Stakes on the July Course.

Given a break since then, there is every chance he can resume his progress in a more winnable race though he does arrive back in Newmarket with a bit to prove. He is, however, towards the top of the pile from those with a rating and the promising colt has been drawn on the far-side in stall one.

Hugo Palmer is enjoying an excellent year with his two-year-olds and this son of Sergei Prokofiev took a leap forward from his debut second on the July Course in August to win by three and a half lengths at Kempton at the beginning of this month.

He is light on experience but is certainly going the right way, though his winning odds of 1-2 last time confirm this is a huge step up in class. Oisin Murphy takes over.

The son of New Bay won his first two starts impressively but came unstuck when pitched into Group Two company at Glorious Goodwood where he finished last of six in the Vintage Stakes.

He fared better when fifth in a useful-looking nursery at Doncaster last time where he was hampered early on, but this requires another chunk of improvement. 

Showed real promise (and speed) to finish second over five furlongs at York on debut in May before defying a three-month absence to win from the front by a wide margin at Pontefract over six furlongs.

Stepped up another furlong in trip last time at Doncaster, he finished fifth in the Listed Flying Scotsman having led a couple of furlongs from home before fading out of contention. He is talented but this is tougher, so more is needed, plus he has stamina to prove.

Others have achieved more on the bare level of form, but it is hard to get away from the claims of the progressive and lightly-raced MEZZO FORTE for William Haggas and Ryan Moore. The form of his latest win has since been boosted and the ground is unlikely to be a problem. The promising Jimtrott and the once-raced Great Balls O’Fire also warrant respect. 

1 MEZZO FORTE. 2 JIMTROTT. 3 GREAT BALLS O’FIRE.