St James’s Palace Stakes (Group One) One Mile.

COCKNEY REBEL 
3yo bay cold; Val Royal – Factice
Trained by Geoff Huffer
Form 123-11
“It’s not remotely surprising a £10 million price tag has been nailed on Cockney Rebel’s stable door. By winning the English and Irish 2000 Guineas he has already shown outstanding credentials. The acceleration he produced in the final quarter mile at Newmarket was nothing short of turbo-charged. His performance at the Curragh was conclusive proof that Cockney Rebel is the real deal. The only doubt about the Newmarket form will be answered at Ascot as Dutch Art (2¼ lengths third at Newmarket) raced on the opposite side of the track to Cockney Rebel, and he also showed blinding acceleration to win the far-side race. We can only speculate who would have won had they been drawn side by side. Head-to-head again here, we could be in for a lightning-paced humdinger. On classic evidence Cockney Rebel cannot be opposed but it might take another slice of Olivier Pesler’s tactical genius to win this intriguing race.

DUTCH ART
3yo chestnut colt; Medicean – Halland Park Lass
Trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam
Form 111-23
“Unbeaten as a two-year-old, Dutch Art ended his juvenile campaign by winning the Group One Middle Park Stakes (6f). His 2007 campaign got off to a shaky start with a comprehensive 3½ length defeat by Major Cadeaux in the Greenham at Newbury, however Peter Chapple-Hyam warned us beforehand that we would see a very different Dutch Art in the 2000 Guineas. How right he was! Like Cockney Rebel but on the opposite side of the course, Dutch Art produced a fair bit of toe to ‘win’ the far side race – his jockey Jimmy Fortune is adamant that he will put the record straight at Ascot. The stable can do little wrong currently (whereas the Huffer camp’s last winner was in the Irish 2000 Guineas) and it will surely be a race to relish.”

EXCELLENT ART
3yo bay colt; Pivotal – Obsessive
Trained by Aidan O’Brien
Form 1331-4
“Trainer won the race in 2000 (Giant’s Causeway) 2001(Black Minnaloushie) and 2002(Rock of Gibraltar).
This horse won three of his four starts as a two year-old when trained by Neville Callaghan, rounding off the season by winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes – he previously finished third behind Dutch Art in the Group One Prix Morny on very soft ground. Excellent Art’s only run this season was when a fast finishing fourth in the French 2000 Guineas. He probably should have won and it certainly won’t be a race that Jamie Spencer will forget. Whilst attempting a dare-devil run up the inside his path was blocked at least twice, eventually settling for 4th behind stable mate Astronomer Royal. The form looks sound – the second horse Creachadoir has since finished 2nd to Cockney Rebel in the Irish 2000 Guineas. He should improve for Guineas run he deserves hearty respect.”

ASTRONOMER ROYAL
3yo bay colt; Danzig – Sheepscot
Trained by Aidan O’Brien
Form 21-61
“He must rank as a surprise winner of the French 2000 Guineas being the 33-1 outsider of the Aidan O’Brien quartet. His performance though looked far from being a fluke. Almost last turning for home he really picked up in the straight and reeled in Creachadoir near the finish. His only previous victory was when odds-on for a Newbury maiden last August. The form certainly looks pretty reliable with the runner-up Creachadoir running a cracker to finish second to Cockney Rebel in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Where he now ranks in the O’Brien pecking order is open to speculation but if he given his chance at Ascot he must be respected.

CREACHADOIR
3yo bay colt; King’s Best – Sadima
Trained by Jim Bolger
Form 314122
“He has certainly been kept busy by Jim Bolger having run six times already in 2007. By far his most significant performances have been his last two starts – runner-up in both the French and Irish 2000 Guineas. At Longchamp, Kevin Manning hit the front about a furlong from home only to be thwarted by Astronomer Royal’s flying flourish and a fortnight later he ran on strongly but was unable to mount a serious challenge to the brilliant Cockney Rebel. Another good run is anticipated but it would be going against the grain to suggest that he can overturn either Longchamp or Curragh form.”

DUKE OF MARMALADE
3yo bay colt; Danehill – Love Me True
Trained by Aidan O’Brien
Form 212-44
“The form book strongly suggests that Duke of Marmalade has run two similar, if not identical, races in the English and Irish 2000 Guineas – both times finishing 4th, beaten 2¼ lengths each time, behind Cockney Rebel. It would be delving into a Disney-type fantasy world to suggest that he can turn the tables here. Of course it is possible – but, on this occasion, most unlikely.

MAJOR CADEAUX
3yo chestnut colt; Cadeaux Genereux – Maine Lobster
Trained by Richard Hannon
Form 12-16
“Very highly thought of by his trainer Richard Hannon. Hopes were high for a 2000 Guineas victory after winning the Greenham Stakes, a notable Guineas trial, at Newbury – beating the well touted Dutch Art by 3½ lengths. On that evidence Major Cadeaux was rated a 10-1 shot for the Guineas and ran a sound race in sixth place but Dutch Art produced an improved performance to gain revenge. However neither animal could cope with Cockney Rebel’s finishing burst. Before the Guineas there was a question mark over Major Cadeaux stamina and it is possible that his optimum trip maybe seven furlongs, leaving him an unlikely winner over a mile against this calibre of opposition.

TOBOSA
3yo bay colt; Tobougg – Sovereign Abbey
Trained by William Jarvis
Form 26-401
“A literal interpretation of 2000 Guineas form (9¼l 12th behind Cockney Rebel) would offer barely a crumb of encouragement of winning at this level. In his defence, he may have suffered from too much use being made of him by Phillip Robinson at Newmarket, as under a far more patient ride next time in a £100,000 handicap at Haydock he was held up by Michael Hills and produced an impressive burst of speed to win comfortably. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Tobosa could run a big race at Ascot but maybe not quite big enough to threaten Cockney Rebel or Dutch Art.”

US RANGER
3yo bay colt; Danzig – My Annette
Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget
Form 111-17
“US Ranger was the ‘hot’ horse the week prior to the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He was a supplementary entry and attracted massive support on the evidence of four facile wins against sub-standard opposition. He ran a tremendous race in the Guineas – drawn on the far side he finished ‘second’ to Dutch Art. His jockey Christophe Lemaire had actually opted to race on the stands side, however he was carried to the far side by Eddie Ahern on Strategic Prince. Despite that he only finished 3½ lengths behind Cockney Rebel. A serious contender for sure.”