QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean has the chance to add his name to an illustrious list of horses to have completed the Group 1 double of following up in the St James's Palace Stakes, one of the 35 races in the QIPCO British Champions Series.
Before he can stand in the record books alongside the legends that are Brigadier Gerard and Frankel, Chaldean must see off eight rivals, including another Coolmore challenger in Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington as well as unbeaten but Group-race unknown Cicero's Gift.
Isaac Shelby, narrowly beaten in the French 2,000 Guineas and Mostabshir, who would be a fourth winner in ten years in the race for his trainer John Gosden, make this year's St James's Palace a race to savour.
Chaldean's trainer Andrew Balding has been happy with his Classic winner after his Newmarket preparation was anything but traditional. Frankie Dettori was unseated out of the stalls to leave the riderless Chaldean to chase home Issac Shelby in the Greenham at Newbury.
Balding said: “He took the Guineas race well and his work has been stepped up in the last fortnight.”
Asked about the relative merits of the three Guineas, Balding added: “The English Guineas is usually the strongest and Chaldean won it impressively this year.”
Chaldean would also make it a hat-trick of 2,000 Guineas/St James's Palace doubles with Coroebus last year and Poetic Flare in 2021 achieving the same feat. Last year's top-rated juvenile Little Big Bear and Doncaster Futurity Trophy winner and subsequent Derby winner Auguste Rodin ran lacklustre races behind Chaldean at Newmarket and Coolmore puts up Classic winner Paddington this time.
Aidan O'Brien, who has won this race eight times, would be making it six with Irish Guineas winners – Black Minaloushe, Rock of Gibraltar, Henrythenavigator, Mastercratfsman and Gleneagles.
O'Brien said: “We have been happy with him since The Curragh. His three runs this year have been good and he is progressive.”
Ryan Moore, who was praised by O'Brien for his ride in a tactical race at The Curragh, said: “I'm looking forward to riding him. He has been improving through the year but he needs to improve again.”
Brian Meehan, who won this Group 1 with Most Improved in 2012, had made entries in the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup and July Cup for Isaac Shelby but feels a mile is his metier.
“I really think he has a huge future and I really think it is at a mile even though we gave him the sprint entries,” said the Manton-based trainer.
“He is much more relaxed in his work since Paris and you can see him maturing. He's an exciting horse to have but there is nowhere to hide at this level.”
Cicero's Gift is the unknown quantity, untested even at lower Group-race level but that has been by design with a late developer, who only made his racecourse debut last autumn.
He made an immediate impression in beating an odds-on favourite of the Gosdens in October and started this year with an all-weather win at Wolverhampton before a runaway success at Goodwood.
Trainer Charlie Hills, who also runs QIPCO 2000 Guineas fourth Galeron, said: “We did toy with the idea of running Cicero's Gift in the Guineas as well but wanted to keep a low profile with this race in mind.
“He took a bit of time to come to hand last year and is going to get better with age and experience – he might get further in time as well.
“He's a good-looking chap, improving with each race but he is going into a Group 1 which will be a different experience.”
Royal Scotsman, third in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Charyn and Indestructible, who were further behind at Newmarket, and impressive York novice race winner Mostabshir complete the field.
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