Thursday 3 August 2017 12:57, UK
Charlie Appleby has his fingers crossed the ground will not be too tough for Frontiersman in the Group Three Betfred Glorious Stakes at Goodwood on Friday.
The four-year-old Godolphin-owned colt has made giant strides since the spring, progressing from handicaps to running in top company.
Frontiersman is, in fact, taking a slight drop in class, having finished second in the Group One Coronation Cup and the Group Two Princess of Wales's Stakes on his last two starts.
"I don't think he lost anything in defeat at Newmarket as when Hawkbill turns up with his A-game, he's a hard horse to pass," said Appleby.
"He was third on his debut at Goodwood, so he has some experience of the course, and I am hoping that the ground is not too testing.
"If we see a repeat performance of Newmarket, which I think he has come on from, he should run well.
"He just needs more racing experience. The more racing he gets under his belt the better.
"It looks like visually at home that he has come forward again. He looked great on Wednesday having his blow-out and I'm thrilled with the way he is."
Jedd O'Keeffe has been pleased to see the rain for Lord Yeats, whose first venture outside of handicap company was a successful one when he took the Listed Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket.
"The rain is what we were hoping for and the more they get the better," said O'Keeffe.
"I think the trip will suit him and the track will suit him. He's never been to Goodwood but he's run well at places like Hamilton, which is not too dissimilar.
"He's in very good form and we'll be employing our usual tactics by riding him positively, so it's just a question of whether he's good enough.
"I think he deserves his place in the field and we're looking forward to it."
David Menuisier feels the rain-softened ground should be no problem to Make Time when the recent easy Sandown scorer goes for Group Three honours in the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.
"He won well the other day, but that was a handicap and this is different company," said the West Sussex trainer.
"It is hard to know what to expect. He's a horse I've always thought the world of and he won really well at Salisbury last year.
"When he ran in the Greenham the yard was under a cloud with the virus and also the ground was too fast.
"The ground should suit our horse and he's in really good form, so fingers crossed."
Andrew Balding, fresh from his Sussex Stakes victory with Here Comes When, has high hopes for Beat The Bank.
The Kingsclere trainer rates the Paco Boy gelding highly and with three wins in his four career starts, he has good reason to believe there is more to come.
"Beat The Bank is a high-class horse and he is in great form," said Balding.
"What the ground conditions will be like by the race I'm not sure. If it is not a bog you would have to think he will go very well.
"It was very fast ground at Ascot (in the Jersey Stakes) on his one blip and he probably wasn't on his game that day but he is in great shape now and was impressive at Newmarket."
Balding is also happy to see the rain come for Perfect Angel in the Group Three L'Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes.
Her only success to date came at this meeting 12 months ago but she has been running well - as she showed when second to Magical Memory in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
"She will love the soft ground," said Balding.
"The extra furlong is the question mark. She is obviously in great form as she was a very good second behind Magical Memory last time,
"She is in great and won at the meeting last year. The draw (12) is not ideal but if it is soft ground and they are coming over it won't be a problem."