Kinross helped by rain - but younger competition snapping at his heels in Park Stakes

Only one three-year-old has won the Park Stakes in the last eight runnings, but they have a strong hand this year with the likes of Lead Artist and Al Shabab Storm.

Lead Artist drops in trip having raced exclusively at a mile. He showed enough speed in his Group 3 success at Goodwood last month to suggest 7f may suit and he is the least exposed runner in the field having just his fifth start.

Andrew Balding was successful in this race last year with Sandrine and Al Shabab Storm is an intriguing contender this time around.

This son of Advertise is likely to need further progress after his Group 3 win in Germany last time, but he is improving with each run this season and has been giving the impression that a return to 7f could see him to even better effect. Jason Watson, who has been in fine form in recent weeks, retains the ride, having been in the saddle for each of his last three wins.

Goodwood winner Lead Artist drops back in tripCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Ralph Beckett bids to land another Park Stakes with Kinross, who won a below-par renewal of this contest in 2022. The son of Kingman has had excuses this year, particularly in the Lennox on his most recent start when caught out of his ground. However, that has not been missed by the bookmakers, who have installed him as a short-priced favourite again.

Of the remainder, Poet Master probably needs to improve again to defy a penalty for his Group 2 Minstrel Stakes success at the Curragh last time and Shouldvebeenaring is not without an each-way squeak. He is the type to bounce back from a below-par run at Haydock last week.
Analysis by Phill Anderson

What they say

Karl Burke, trainer of Poet Master
He carries a Group 2 penalty for his win at the Curragh last time, which has since been advertised by the placed horses. He is a very progressive horse who will love the ground and has run well at the track before.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Kinross
He's in good form and the drop of rain has helped him.

Ed Walker, trainer of Popmaster
I hope the ground doesn't dry out too much for him. He's a legend and will turn up in one of these races some day. He's in flying form and ran a massive race in the Hungerford, beaten barely two lengths in conditions that were too quick for him.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Shouldvebeenaring
Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong in the Sprint Cup last time, so draw a line through that as he's better than that. He's back up in trip but has won over seven before and the ground is expected to quicken up. We've done hardly anything with him all week, so he's nicely freshened up.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Lead Artist
Hopefully, the ground dries out a bit, which it should with two drying days forecast. He won well over a mile at Goodwood and is back in trip, but he showed plenty of pace from the front that day, which should help his chances.

Marco Botti, trainer of Folgaria
Hopefully, the ground doesn't dry out too much as she really needs it on the easy side. If so, we're hoping she can get some more black type.
Reporting by David Milnes

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