Is Hamish ready to repeat his September Stakes victory of three years ago or will age catch up with him?

This has become a remarkably strong race over the last ten years and class acts such as Prince Bishop, Jack Hobbs, Enable (twice), Mostahdaf and Bay Bridge are all on the roll of honour.

So is Hamish, who was successful three years ago in one of the weaker runnings in the last decade, and his winning Racing Post Rating of 115 was the third-lowest over that period.

Hamish is largely consistent and his median RPR in his last six starts comes in at 117. However, the median winning RPR of this race in the last ten years is 119.5.

Hamish can run to that level and higher, having twice recorded RPRs of 121 and that includes when second in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in May. A reproduction of that effort would clearly be good enough, but he was a disappointing 11-10 favourite at Newmarket last time.

He was more than 15 lengths behind winner Giavellotto, but the ground was riding better than the official description of good to soft, according to Topspeed figures, and Hamish simply must have soft to show his best on turf. That run can therefore be forgiven.

He has yet to better an RPR of 115 on the all-weather, though, and will probably need to do so to beat Lion’s Pride because he recorded a figure of 119 when successful over course and distance in November, and has recorded form that reads 113 at this track. He loves Polytrack.

His form on turf doesn’t match up, so it seems fair to assume that Lion’s Pride will step up on what he has shown on his last two runs on grass. He will need to, though, as he was well held.

It’s not just a two-horse race because Kalpana is a name that has been on many people’s lips and she produced a big career-best when running away with the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton in July. She gets all the allowances as a three-year-old filly against colts and has a big chance.

She recorded an RPR of 112 at Hamilton, but that equates to 115 when you include her female allowance and it wouldn’t take much more progress for her to upset the big two.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Kalpana lies in wait for Hamish

Hamish, neck conqueror of Hukum in this race in 2021, is likely to start favourite, but faces no straightforward task in conceding 14lb to the five-year younger Kalpana.

The highly progressive three-year-old has the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot next month as her major target, and this race fits nicely into her programme.

Barry Mahon, racing manager to Juddmonte, owners of the filly, said: “She’s been very consistent all year since breaking her maiden at Wolverhampton in January. She ran huge races in defeat in both the Pretty Polly at Newmarket and the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Hamish: veteran won this race in 2021Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

“It’s been a nice progression throughout the year and we’re aiming her at the British Champions Fillies & Mares. Hamish retains all his ability and enthusiasm at the age of eight and clearly looks the one we’ve got to beat.”

Kalpana, who produced one of the most impressive performances in a middle-distance three-year-old handicap this season when destroying Align The Stars by ten lengths at Newmarket in April off a mark of 78, is now officially rated 29lb higher.

Available at a top price of 10-1 for the Ascot Group 1, those odds are likely to contract sharply if she can lower the colours of Hamish.

What they say

Tom Marquand, rider of Hamish
He’s a yard favourite and won this race in 2021. He’s a proper, solid performer, and one I always look forward to riding. It’s not an easy race by any means, but he’s definitely the one they’ve all got to beat.

George Baker, trainer of Cemhaan
He has superb course-and-distance form. He won the Rosebery there under top weight; it was a spectacular performance that day. Things haven’t dropped right for him on turf since. Hamish will be tough to beat, but we’ll just roll away and leave things to Mr Callan.

Thady Gosden-joint trainer of Lion's Pride and God's Window
Lion’s Pride wasn’t suited by how the race panned out at Goodwood last time and should be better suited to Kempton where he has previously won the Floodlit Stakes. God’s Window ran well to be second in the Glasgow Stakes since when he’s been freshened up and we expect the track and trip to suit him.

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Under The Sun
We had a huge amount of hope and belief for this horse at the start of the year. He ran very well at Chelmsford first time out, rattling home to finish fourth behind Bracken’s Laugh. He then looked as though he was going to win the Group 3 Classic Trial at Sandown until floundering late on the soft ground. Royal Ascot was a nightmare, the occasion seemed to get to him. We’re putting a hood on for the first time and hopefully that will help him. He needs a career-best, but our ambitions for him at the start of the year were loftier than this race.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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