Crowned Eagle ready to score for Charlie Austin in Listed feature

6.00 Kempton
32Red Floodlit Stakes (Listed) | 1m4f | 3yo+ | RUK

Crowned Eagle returns to the domestic racing scene after a gallant second in the Group 3 Stockholm Cup International at Bro Park in Sweden in September, and Southampton striker Charlie Austin, who co-founded owners Excel Racing, is confident of another big run.

He said: ”Crowned Eagle has been superb for us this season. We picked him up for 25,000gns this time last year, he's now rated 110 and only got beat on the line at York in May when giving 7lb to Hamada.

"He went over to Bro Park and came second, beaten two lengths by Thundering Blue. It would be a nice way to end the season with a Listed win under his belt."

Austin, whose representative faces nine rivals, added: "His trainer [Marco Botti] is happy with him as the horse has been in great form at home. This looks a competitive race, but one he should go close in.”

Botti added of the four-year-old’s chances: “Crowned Eagle is in good form as he has matured and is stronger this year. This 1m4f trip suits him and he ran very well when second to Thundering Blue in the Stockholm Cup at Bro Park, having been up with the pace.”

The Newmarket trainer, who took the corresponding prize in 2014 with Grendisar, added: "He's still open to more improvement and has won on the all-weather surface at Kempton before. We're very much looking forward to the race.”

Dunes raider

Jerome Reynier is one of the most upwardly-mobile young trainers in France and saddles just his second runner in Britain in the shape of Dubai Dunes.

The ex-Godolphin filly will have travelled more than 650 miles from Reynier’s base in the south of France by the time she reached the Channel but, if all goes to plan, it will be a one-way trip, with Dubai Dunes – who is entered in the Tattersalls December sale – due to go to owner James Read afterwards.

Her last two runs leave open the question of whether she is more effective over this trip of a mile and a half, or the mile and a quarter of the Grand Prix de Fontainebleau, in which she was last off the bridle before finding little behind the William Haggas-trained Dynamic.

"A mile and a half with pace in the race would be ideal for her as she is a hold-up horse who has a finishing kick," said Reynier. "If she can finish third we'd be delighted. She is due to head off to stud as a broodmare."

Wind of change

The Godolphin-owned Atty Persse will be having his first outing since undergoing wind surgery. He was last seen at Newmarket in August, when he was sent off favourite but finished last of the seven runners, beaten a total of 91 lengths.

His trainer Roger Charlton said: "He's been off for a long time and has had a wind operation as he choked badly on his last run at Newmarket, where he was almost pulled up.

Atty Persse: having his first run since a wind opCredit: Caroline Norris

"We'll have to see what happens but he's been pleasing at home since and we're hoping for a good run."

Strength in depth

Others to note in the £50,000 highlight include the Ralph Beckett-trained hat-trick seeker Podemos, whose two recent wins both came at this track, and the Hugo Palmer-trained Architecture, who was last seen trailing home last of 11 in the Group 3 St Simon Stakes behind Best Solution just over a year ago.

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