Can Chindit make it a terrific ten straight winning favourites in Summer Mile?

Saturday: 3.35 Ascot
Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (Group 2) | 1m | 4yo+ | ITV/Sky

The favourite has delivered in each of the past nine runnings of the Summer Mile but this year's race is wide open with at least five plausible winners. It is no forgone conclusion that early market leader Chindit will make it a perfect ten, and it is not fanciful to suggest there may be a new favourite by the time the race starts.

Every horse has their level and Group 1s are probably too hot for Chindit and regular Group 3s are too cold, so Group 2s are just right. However, he might face a horse destined for the top in Mutasaabeq.

This track could really play to the strengths of Mutasaabeq and you can draw a line through his Jersey Stakes flop here last season as that was not his true running.

Traffic problems cost Mutasaabeq a Group 2 at Sandown two starts back and he appeared to dislike Epsom when third in the Diomed Stakes after losing a shoe early on his last run. Modern News held him by a neck there, but we know his level and he was better positioned than Mutasaabeq. The form can be reversed.

It can also be argued Perotto is the overpriced one. He is over double the early odds of Modern News and My Oberon despite finishing within three-quarters of that pair at Windsor 14 days ago.

The switch to front-running tactics suited Perotto there and other sources of early pace in this contest are difficult to locate.

The Marcus Tregoning-trained four-year-old dug deep when headed at Windsor and can be expected to tighten up further given it was only his second start of the year, while Modern News was running for the sixth time during that period and My Oberon the fourth.

The conundrum is first-time cheekpieces as Tregoning is 0-6 when fitting the aid in the past year. However, that is a small sample size and Perotto boasts winning form on fast ground over a mile in the Britannia Stakes here last season.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Hannon: this is a nice race for Chindit

On a day where there is racing coming from every direction, favourite-backers will want to focus on this Ascot feature based on the last decade's results.

Chindit will bid to become the tenth consecutive successful market leader in the Group 2 event, with just one of the previous eight winning favourites returning odds on.

The Richard Hannon-trained four-year-old is a course winner and has ran with credit behind Baaeed in top-level company on his two previous starts, finishing third in the Lockinge at Newbury and fourth in the Queen Anne Stakes at the royal meeting.

There is little to split Chindit, Modern News and My Oberon on official ratings but Hannon is confident of a big run.

Hannon said: "I was very happy with his run at Ascot – he's run well in top company the last twice – and this is a nice race for him. He deserves to get his head in front and hopefully should take plenty of beating."

The William Haggas-trained My Oberon is rated 1lb lower than Chindit and arrives on the back of victory over the reopposing Modern News and Perotto in the Listed Midsummer Stakes at Windsor.

What they say

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Modern News
He has proven ultra consistent and a stiff mile on quick ground at Ascot will suit. We're confident he can be a player again because he is such a genuine horse.

Charlie Hills, trainer of Mutasaabeq
He's run two cracking races in Group company recently and this track should suit him better than Epsom last time, where he lost a shoe early on. He's shown he's capable at this level and should be very competitive.

Marcus Tregoning, trainer of Perotto
He's in good shape and faces My Oberon and Modern News again at a track he loves. Cheekpieces might just help him and hoping he'll run really well.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

Saturday's race previews:

3.00 Ascot: 'This summer she's blossomed' - Boughey fields transformed filly in hot handicap

3.15 Newmarket: 'You don't do what he did unless you're special' - Superlative Stakes lowdown

3.50 Newmarket: Can Samburu end long three-year-old drought in the Bunbury Cup for the Gosdens?

4.05 York: Does William Haggas hold the Cup key again with lightly raced Mahrajaan?

4.25 York: 'Special horse' Perfect Power bids for fourth Group 1 success

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