Siskin has to improve against 'scary' rivals in red-hot Sussex warns Lyons

Ger Lyons may have won two Classics already this season but has warned his Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Siskin needs to improve if he is to add next week's Qatar Sussex Stakes, which he labelled "one of the hottest races of the year".

The Khalid Abdullah-owned three-year-old is a best-priced 7-4 favourite to take next Wednesday's showdown at Goodwood for the emerging force in Group 1 company after stablemate Even So landed the Irish Oaks last weekend.

But County Meath-based Lyons, who revealed he has never even been to Goodwood before, singled out Ascot Summer Mile winner Mohaather among a host of potential dangers in a race that could go a long way towards settling the milers' championship.

Colin Keane: Sussex Stakes ride on Siskin definitely worth two-week quarantine

'It was strange with nobody there but I loved it' - Lyons lauds Siskin

Asked about the opposition to his three-year-old, he said: "It's scary, to say the least. The one that stands out to me is Mohaather.

"I was very impressed with him the last day. He was unlucky at Royal Ascot then he came out and put that form to bed.

"You have to be afraid of Aidan's Circus Maximus, he ran there last year as a three-year-old and he was second to Too Darn Hot. Then you've got the English Guineas horse coming back from the Derby. Kameko won the Guineas well. For me the best form of the season has always been the English Guineas.

"On ratings our horse has to improve. Listening to forums the Irish Guineas has been ripped apart by the experts. And on form figures we have to improve, as simple as that. I think he has but we won't know until he runs on the day. He definitely has to improve again to even get close to these horses. The only one missing is Pinatubo so it's going to be a tough contest."

Siskin won the Irish 2,000 Guineas on his first outing of the season, overcoming traffic problems in a field featuring six Aidan O'Brien runners, and has deliberately been kept fresh for this clash of the generations.

Siskin and Colin Keane winning the Tattersalls 2,000 GuineasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Physically he's improving, you can see him getting stronger," Lyons said. "But I'm not going to sit here and tell you that he needed the run going into the Guineas, I had him ready. He's working well but he does need to improve to beat these guys. Only when we run him next Wednesday will we see if he's made enough improvement.

"We were always going to be coming here fresh and hope that everybody else knocked the head off each other en route to Goodwood but it's now turning into one of the hottest races of the year. I'm just hoping the big races have left a mark on some of those horses because we're the fresher horse.

"He won't lack for race practice, if he gets beat next week it's because he's not good enough."

On his only previous visit to Britain Siskin was withdrawn from the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket last autumn after being unruly in the stalls.

But the trainer believes a blanket placed inside the stalls, as used by Clive Cox with champion sprinter Harry Angel, has done the trick and said: "That's behind us, the only time he ever did anything out of character was Newmarket.

"We borrowed the thing that Clive Cox invented for Harry Angel a few years ago, he was kind enough to offer that to me this year. We put it in the stalls at the Curragh for Guineas day and there was never a problem. We'll use it again next week."

Lyons, who won the Ebor at York with Mustajeer last summer, is confident that Siskin will handle the undulating Goodwood track.

"I think he will," he said. "He's pretty straightforward. It's a beautiful racecourse on television. I won't be blaming the track.

"These are the races you need to be in, these are where you want to be. We're still reeling from winning an Oaks and a Guineas in one season, from a team that hadn't done any of that. We're on a roll.

"To win the big ones, and the Sussex Stakes is one of the big ones, would be huge."

Ger Lyons: 'To win the big ones, and the Sussex Stakes is one of the big ones, would be huge'Credit: Patrick McCann

Qatar Sussex Stakes betting

Sky Bet: 7-4 Siskin, 5-2 Mohaather, 10-3 Kameko, 5-1 Circus Maximus, 7-1 Pinatubo, 10-1 Nazeef, Wichita 14-1 bar

Read more:

O'Brien v Gosden: Ballydoyle could run up to six against Enable in King George

'Who else could run?' – Nick Smith on the lack of three-year-olds in King George

King George turnout is sad but this is elite sport, not school sports day

All eyes fixed on Enable as the star mare goes for King George glory at Ascot

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes: all you need to know for the big day

Enable's task in King George made easier as key contenders head elsewhere

For all our exclusive free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets