Doncaster preview: Scarbrough Stakes (15.00)
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Trainer Charlie Hills has enjoyed a cracking season with his sprinters, and Cotai Glory can provide him with another winner in the Listed Scarbrough Stakes over 5f at Doncaster (15.00).
The colt had some top class form as a juvenile, finishing sixth to Hootenanny in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and an excellent 1 1/4 length second to Limato in a Listed contest at Newbury.
Cotai Glory went on to make all and land the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, and was all set to follow-up in the Group 2 Flying Childers over course and distance at this meeting 12 months ago when serving and unseating his rider near the finish when two lengths clear and well in command.
The son of Exceed And Excel could then only finish 16th fo 18 in the Group 1 Prix de L’abbaye at Longchamp on his final start of the campaign, but that was a Group 1 contest and he faced a stiff task.
Cotai Glory was then off the track for 279 days before making his belated return to action in Listed contest at York earlier and running a blinder to finish a 1/2 length third to Out Do.
The three-year-old showed all his customary dash until weakening close home, and it was an effort which suggested he was in for a good season.
Cotai Glory went on to run a cracker to finish a 2 3/4 length fifth of 15 to Muthmir in a Group 2 contest at Goodwood, before finding the company too hot in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month.
The drop back into Listed company is sure to suit, and this represents by far the easiest task that Cotai Glory has faced this season.
Medicean Man finished one place behind Cotai Glory in the Nunthorpe, but had previously excelled himself when runner-up in the Group 1 King’s Stand at Royal Ascot and looks the main danger judged on that effort.
The Jeremy Gask trained nine-year-old got beat just a short-head by Goldream, and the form reads extremely well in the context of this contest.
However, Medicean Man is now a veteran and doesn’t remains open to the same progress as the selection and may well haev to play second fiddle again on this occasion.
Of the others, Steps is a decent sort when on a going day as he showed when third in this 12 months ago.
The Roger Varian trained seven-year-old is a hold-up horse that needs everything to drop right, but with Cotai Glory likely to blaze a trail should get the race run to suit.
Coral’s top tip: The trail-blazing Cotai Glory is going to be tough to peg back now having his sights lowered and looks a great bet to get back to winning ways
