Charming Thought among Park Stakes contenders

Godolphin's Middle Park winner Charming Thought is one of 55 entries for the Park Stakes at Doncaster's St Leger meeting on September 12.

The Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old has not been seen since his victory over Ivawood last September after meeting with a setback.

"Charming Thought is back in full training and the Park Stakes is his objective, so we will train him accordingly to get him there in peak fitness," said Appleby.

"Hopefully, the race will be a stepping-stone to Champions Day, where we could aim for the QEII Stakes or drop back for the Champions Sprint.

"We have yet to learn what his optimum trip is. If you are looking at him, he stands up more like a sprinter and he was showing me that in the work he did at the start of the season.

"Potentially, he could be heading down the sprint route, but we are starting him off over seven furlongs to find out a bit more about him.

"He has physically done very well. There's never a good time to have a setback but, the way the summer has been with the ground being so quick, Charming Thought wouldn't have run anyway.

"It's unfortunate that he missed the first half of the season but, making the best of a bad situation, he has done fantastically well and lost his Group One penalty now."

Appleby has also entered Safety Check and Hawkesbury and said: "Safety Check runs in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood next week and we will consider the Park Stakes afterwards. He is in good order, is proven at Goodwood and hopefully conditions will suit, as he likes the ground on the fast side of good.

"I think seven furlongs is his best trip. He won the Zabeel Mile at Meydan earlier this year but it's an easy mile there and the last half-furlong was a long 100 yards for him.

"We know that Hawkesbury has an engine and it's just a question of trying to channel it in the right direction."

Dutch Connection, Limato, Estidhkaar, Ansgar, Tupi, Breton Rock and Mustajeeb all feature among the huge entry.