Ballydoyle's commander-in-chief has almost made this race his private property since 1998, with a sequence of 17 winners. Remarkably, the gap between Sioux Nation in 2017 and Little Big Bear (Ire) last term was the only time in that period that he had gone more than a year without collecting and the Railway has always been a race to sharpen his prospective Phoenix colt. Ryan Moore has enjoyed even more success than usual on the stable's big guns in Ireland in 2023 and he said on his betfair blog, “This lacks a stand-out. Only a short-head separated Bucanero Fuerte and Unquestionable in the Railway and hopefully we can get revenge after our colt had to miss Goodwood because of the worsening ground.”

Other than Bucanero Fuerte, Royal Ascot's Coventry also featured Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) who was just 3/4 of a length behind having been sent for home some way out. Bronsan Racing and Theresa Marnane's G3 Marble Hill S. winner has been given a freshener since then and trainer Jessica Harrington issued a positive update on the £1.1-million Goffs London sensation. “Hopefully he'll run a good race and we don't get too much rain between now and then so we have a bit of nice ground on the day. He's won on soft, but I'd prefer better ground as he's a good-moving horse,” she said.

No filly has won this since La Collina (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}) in 2011, but the unbeaten Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) had some smart fillies behind when capturing the G3 Albany S. for the Fowler-Medallion Racing-Weston-Reeves collective and there is no definitive marker as to how the two sexes stand up. “She was in control the whole way in the Albany and did everything you'd like, so you'd have to respect the form and she seems quite versatile,” jockey Oisin Murphy said.

Sweet Solera Up For Grabs

While Ascot stages its longstanding Shergar Cup with its alternative appeal, Newmarket quietly gets on with the business of helping to sort the 2-year-old pecking order. Like the Phoenix, the G3 Molson Coors Sweet Solera S. also lacks a standout candidate but Godolphin's four-length course-and-distance winner Wild Goddess (GB) (Camelot {GB}) fits the bill with her connections and pedigree as she tackles the Listed Star S. second and third Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). The latter is back on more suitable ground, having been third behind Porta Fortuna in the Albany and we'll know more what that form means by late afternoon on Saturday.

At Haydock, there is an intriguing blend of youth and old talent in the 10-furlong G3 Rose Of Lancaster S. with the impressive Listed Lyric Fillies' S. winner Midnight Mile (Ire) (No Nay Never) taking on Shadwell's unpredictable Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) with weight-for-age on her side.

Inspiral Confirmed For Marois Defence

   John and Thady Gosden have given the green light for Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to attempt back-to-back successes in Sunday's G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville following her last-of-five effort in the G1 Sussex S. She will encounter her G1 Queen Anne S. conqueror Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and also Yeguada Centurion SL's G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), as well as the G1 Prix Jean Prat-winning course specialist Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) in a competitive 11-runner affair.

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What Next From Inspiral?

After Royal Ascot, most would have pointed to Cheveley Park Stud's G1 Coronation S. heroine Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as the one to side with in a match with Coroebus who looked fortunate to have come away with the Tuesday feature. While the subsequent shock defeat of the John and Thady Gosden-trained homebred at the hands of Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 8 has raised a question mark, the July Course is renowned for favouring front-runners when the ground is riding as fast as it was then and connections are convinced they have her in the right place for her own moment of truth. “I know she had little bit of a blip at Newmarket last time, but you have to excuse her after the long lay-off and sometimes horses can throw a bad one in,” Frankie Dettori said. “When I say bad, she was second, but she didn't run to her full potential.”

No Time To Rest

   Honours are even between the Classic generation and the older horses in the last 10 runnings, but few in the latter category could boast the type of record that State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) brings to the table. His quartet of top-level wins have all come over further, but the pace that he showed from the front when denying Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot June 15 will take him a long way reverting to a mile. His toughness is also an essential  quality and will be a prerequisite as the 3-year-olds come at him late on here. Joseph O'Brien has been intent on trying him at a mile for some time and feels this is the ideal spot. “He's a horse that's always shown plenty of speed and it will be interesting to see how he can perform at a shorter distance,” he said. “Every day he goes to the track, he turns up and he has no problem leading, like he did last time. I think it's fairly obvious he'll be ridden in an uncomplicated way, whether he's getting a lead or not. It comes either way to him.”

A Nation's Pride With Erevann

With the first two Group 1 contests of the famed August meeting going the way of the British, the odds are cramped that this prestige event will also traverse La Manche as the home nation struggles to gain any respite from the onslaught. Last Tuesday's G1 Prix Rothschild saw Goldistyle (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) grab third, but Sunday's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest was a stark reminder of where the balance of power rests in Europe with the eighth-placed Accakaba (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) faring best of the domestic runners. It is incredible to think that the whole of France's training ranks can muster just two representatives in one of their feature events on Sunday, with both hailing from the Jean-Claude Rouget stable. Nevertheless, one is The Aga Khan's unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who stated his case when taking Chantilly's G3 Prix Paul de Moussac June 19. He has to find improvement from that effort, but with his pedigree it is entirely possible.

A Continuing Romance?

Charlie Appleby will be hoping that he can pull off a notable double on Sunday, with Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) taking on the German runners in Hoppegarten's G1 Westminster 132nd Grosser Preis von Berlin. A typical Godolphin raider in this country, the June 25 Listed Fred Archer S. and July 29 G3 Glorious S. winner is unbeaten on turf and all-weather and his trainer said, “We felt this was a nice opportunity to test the waters at this level and we are confident that he won't disgrace himself.” Stall Nizza's May 29 G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft winner Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) may offer the sternest threat among the older horses, while the pick of the 3-year-olds look to be Darius Racing's May 22 G2 Derby Italiano hero Ardakan (GB) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Anna Schleusner-Fruhriep's Nastaria (GB) (Outstrip {GB}), who is out just a week after her impressive success in Dresden's Listed Sommerpreis over 9 1/2 furlongs.

Click here for the fields.

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O'Brien said, “The plan is to run at the weekend in France in the Marois. It looks a good race, but we are looking forward to it. He won nicely at Ascot and we have been happy with him since then.”

After the Marois, the trainer is keeping his options open for the future shuttle stallion, however a title defence in the G1 Cox Plate is still on the table.

“We will obviously see how we get on here but going back to Australia is obviously an option after that,” he added.

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Appleby said, “Adayar is cantering away. I took him out of the King George a few days ago because I was having to force him and I didn't want to have to do that. He's a super horse and he's been fantastic for us and from what we have seen in the last 10 days, he's a different horse.

“He's cantering away but most importantly he looks great and has got his old spark back about him. He's having a buck and kick again and I haven't seen that for six weeks or more as he's basically just been a horse. Now we are starting to see the old Adayar. I'm not going to target a race. He'll tell me when he's ready, and hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.”

The current plan is to separate 2-year-old champion and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from his G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas conqueror Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for their next starts. Third to Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) and Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in last Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown, Native Trail will be stepped down in trip from 10 furlongs.

Appleby said, “I thought Native Trail ran a solid race and he was just outstayed at that level. Two [furlongs] down, I thought William [Buick] was just having to look after him. He got 10 furlongs but he didn't run through the line at 10. He'll be competitive at that trip, but do I think we can reverse the form with the first and second? I'd be surprised.

“I'd like to come back to a mile and take him for the [G1] Prix Jacques le Marois while Coroebus will go to the Sussex S. [at Goodwood on July 27], all being well.”

Also in action last weekend was Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the winner of the G1 Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris before taking the G1 St Leger S. in September. The chestnut, third in the Arc, resumed with a third in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot, but was a puzzling eighth of nine in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 3.

He said, “With Hurricane Lane, unfortunately the ground was too quick. They said it was soft, we knew it wouldn't be–it was good-to-soft in the morning, but just dried out all day to good-to-firm. William [Buick] wasn't hard on him, he said he wasn't even enjoying it going to the start.

“It's unfortunate as I didn't want to run him on good-to-firm ground twice this year, but that is what has happened. Most importantly he's come out of it fine. It's very simple now, we'll wait for soft ground and when that appears hopefully you'll see Hurricane Lane at his best again.”

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Poetic Flare, who also took the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, has a definite achilles heel and that is ground slower than good with his defeats this term all on rain-eased going. Brushed aside by Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the Sussex on soft July 28, he destroyed the opposition on good-to-firm in the June 15 St James's Palace and with the sun beating down on Normandy conditions can work in his favour. Gosden has maximum respect for Poetic Flare and added, “He is a huge threat, obviously, I don't think he was entirely in love with the ground at Goodwood but he's a phenomenal horse and has put in such great performances–he's the top three-year-old colt. It's a very smart race but so it should be, it's the top mile race in France.”

Provided the first two run up to their best, it is difficult to see the winner coming from elsewhere especially as last year's runner-up Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) was disappointing when turned over on her belated seasonal bow in the Listed Lyric Fillies' S.  over an extended 10 furlongs at York July 23. Ballydoyle's Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) was beaten over four lengths when fifth in the Sussex and his GI Breeders' Cup Mile victory is looking a notch or two below this level.

If there is a chance of upset, it could come from Godolphin's unexposed Midtown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was third on his seasonal return in the seven-furlong G1 Prix Jean Prat here July 11. He may be the pick of the Andre Fabre-trained duo, with Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) looking a touch exposed despite having enjoyed a confidence-boosting success in the G3 Prix Messidor at Chantilly July 18. “This has been the target for Victor Ludorum all year and it is very exciting to see him back over the straight mile at Deauville on good ground,” Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said. “It's obviously a very competitive group 1 and he will have to be at his very best, but we feel that he is. Andre couldn't be happier with Midtown's progress since the Prix Jean Prat. He has thought an awful lot of the horse since his debut last year and the only question mark is whether he is more effective on softer ground.”

Also on the card are a trio of group 3 contests, with the 10-furlong Prix Gontaut Hong Kong Jockey Club featuring Ecurie Jean-Pierre Barjon's progressive June 27 G2 Gran Premio di Milano winner Wally (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), the 12 1/2-furlong Prix Minerve hosting Ecurie Ama Zingteam's June 20 G1 Prix de Diane third Burgarita (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and the Circus Maximus Prix Francois Boutin for 2-year-olds over seven furlongs seeing Lars Haase's July 21 Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles winner Best Sixteen (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}) bid to continue his upward trajectory.

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Co-trainer Thady Gosden said, “His bloods are off, and obviously it wouldn't have been the right thing to do to try and push him into the Sussex. The next race that suits him is the [Aug. 15 G1] Prix Jacques le Marois [at Deauville]. We'll have to miss Goodwood, which is frustrating.

“Hopefully we'll take him to France. He obviously won the Jacques le Marois last year, so it's a good back-up.”

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“Palace Pier worked well on Saturday and is looking at the Jacques le Marois, which I said he would go for right after he won the St James’s Palace S.,” said Gosden. “He is a young horse that is only three and he has only run four times in his life, so to that extent he is a progressive horse. Every time you go into these Group 1s it is hard and this time he is taking on older horses, not just 3-year-olds. He ran great at Ascot and I just think the straight mile at Deauville will really suit him. We are happy keeping him at a mile, but he will get a mile and a quarter in time. You could see that by the way he finished his race at Ascot.”

Gosden also provided an update on 2019 G1 St Leger S. winner Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has been out of action with peritonitis since his Leger score.

“Logician breezed on Saturday as well and is coming along fine,” Gosden added. “We are looking to run him in September, all being well-that’s the plan. I know the races we want to look at, but we won’t name them until closer to the time as when you do you often don’t get there.”

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“I think the plan will be to go for the Jacques le Marois in a couple of weeks’ time,” said Oliver Cole. “We didn’t feel he was quite right at Royal Ascot, but he came forward for his next run there and he ran an absolute belter in the Lennox. He is a good horse and going back up to a mile will help him. Hopefully he should be spot on for the Marois.”

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