Analysis by The Man On The Spot and reprinted from the Sporting Life website:
George Washington: Was the top rated horse in Britain and Ireland when retiring in 2006 and his return to action in the Queen Anne showed the ability - and odd quirk - is still there. He would be a fascinating contender if lining up but there have to be concerns over the ground for a horse with such natural speed, especially as he steps up to ten furlongs. He is bred to stay but looked to be running on empty in the final quarter mile of the Breeders' Cup Classic on his only attempt at the trip. Firm conclusions can't be drawn on that, it was his first race on dirt after all, but there are enough question marks against him to understand his persistent drift in the ante-post market.
Kandidate: Clive Brittain has sprung bigger surprises than this in his time but while the five-year-old has returned better than ever this term, he is a Listed/Group Three performer. His limitations were exposed by Red Rocks in the Gordon Richards Stakes over course and distance and throw in the fact he was well below form on his only start on a soft surface, and you have one of the first runners to be discarded.
Notnowcato: Showed willing attitude to edge out Dylan Thomas in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at Leopardstown two starts ago before being brushed aside by Manduro and the same horse in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes last time. He was caught flat-footed as the two principals quickened two out that day and would surely have benefitted from a more positive ride. There will be no excuses this time and the presence of a pacemaker for Authorized will also suit Notnowcato. He lacks the flashy profile of the front two in the market and has seven pounds or so to find with both but is a rattlingly good Group One performer who is running over his best trip and on ground he can handle. At around 5-1 he looks an each-way bet to nothing.
Admiralofthefleet: Won the Dee Stakes at Chester before failing to make much fo a show in the Vodafone Derby, seemingly failing to stay the mile-and-a-half. He drops back to what should be his optimum trip and the ground won't be a problem but he is a good stone behind the "big three" here on all racecourse evidence.
Archipenko: Looked a three-year-old to follow when winning the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown but the form has taken several significant knocks since and this colt made no show in the Vodafone Derby. That was too bad to be true but even so there is nothing in his previous profile to suggest he is an Eclipse winner-in-waiting.
Authorized: Stood out on form for the Vodafone Derby and confirmed his superiority over his peers with a brilliant win, producing a telling turn of foot to settle the race in a matter of strides inside the final quarter of a mile. Much has been made of Motivator's failure to go on from a similar Epsom win but Authorized has done nothing to suggest he will go the same way. The drop to ten furlongs won't inconvenience him, especially with a pacemaker employed, and neither will the ground. It remains to be seen how the three-year-olds will stack up against the older horses though and while Peter Chapple-Hyam's colt is the likely winner, he is no betting proposition at odds-on.
Champery: He is here to set the pace for Authorized and the team will be pleased if he can lead them at a good clip to the two furlong pole when Frankie Dettori and the favourite will be expected to do their job. Champery should at least do his part.
Yellowstone: The weakest contender among team Ballydoyle and hard to see how he can figure in the finish having been an also-ran in the Vodafone Derby and third behind Boscobel in the King Edward VII.
Conclusion: The dry weather forecast offers hope that George Washington will run but will he really be at his best on what is sure to be an easy surface over ten furlongs? Authorized will be but he is untested against the battle-hardened older horses and at the prices an each-way bet on Notnowcato makes most appeal. He will be ridden differently than at Ascot last time and will relish a scrap up the hill if he can take the favourite off the bridle.
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