Will step up in trip produce career-best from progressive four-year-old Intinso?

There is significant encouragement from Intinso’s breeding that this step up to 1m6f could produce a career-best performance.

His half-brother Amtiyaz won over 2m as a four-year-old, and the 98-rated Intinso may develop into a Group-class performer as his stamina is drawn out.

He might need to settle better than he has done on his last two starts but, if more amenable to restraint this time, the son of Siyouni could take some beating.

New London, promoted to second behind Eldar Eldarov in the 2022 St Leger, has failed to match that form in five starts since undergoing wind surgery.

His mark has dropped from 115 to 108, but he still looks a difficult horse to place on the basis of last season’s efforts and two Meydan runs this year.

Bague D’Or, who will be having his first outing since last September, competes off a career-high mark, but gives the impression there could be more to come.

HMS President, winner of this £100,000 handicap 12 months ago by a neck from Torcello on soft ground, hasn’t been seen on the Flat since last August, but did run in a Plumpton maiden hurdle in February.

He is 8lb higher than last year, but did go on to better the Newmarket form when a neck runner-up to Okita Soushi in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The going was officially described as good to firm that afternoon, so he is clearly versatile in terms of underfoot conditions and won’t mind if the ground dries up.

Berkshire Rocco, runner-up to Galileo Chrome in the 2020 St Leger, might need his first outing of the season.
Race analysis by Richard Birch

What they say

Alan King, trainer of HMS President
We did try him over hurdles but we decided to leave that till next year as it's getting late on now. He won this last season, so we thought we'd have another crack at it.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Intinso and Vaguely Royal
Intinso is going up in trip after his third on the all-weather at Kempton last time and the way he finished off that day suggests this step up to 1m6f should play to his strengths. Vaguely Royal ran some good races on the all-weather over winter and we are hoping the return to turf will give him an each-way chance in a competitive affair.

Oisin Murphy, rider of Berkshire Rocco
He's been training a while and seems in really good form. It's a really competitive race, as it should be given the prize-money, but I think he has a strong each-way chance.

Charlie Johnston, trainer of Struth
He was supposed to start off in the Musselburgh Gold Cup, which was abandoned. I'm relieved because we'd been forcing him to get there a bit and he hadn't quite thrived at that stage, so the extra month won't have been lost on him. He had some very good form in strong handicaps last year, rounded off being second in the November Handicap, and I think he's tailor made for these races. I'd expect him to be competitive.

James Ferguson, trainer of Bague D'Or
I'm really happy with him at home and he ran really well when fresh at York last year. I think the track will dry up and good ground will be perfect for him. It's his first run of the season, the trip suits him well and we've got a top jockey [Mickael Barzalona] on board.
Reporting by Liam Headd

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