Lockinge Stakes 2010

3.05 Newbury
totesport.com Lockinge Stakes (Group 1) (Straight) (Class 1) (4YO plus)
Winner £113,540

Picks: Paco Boy, The Cheka e/w

Kargali: May have improved a little even for the switch to a new stable when just getting better of Rayeni in soft ground Gladness Stakes; Has never run at higher than Group 3 level and step up in class may find him out.

Lord Shanakill: Good miler for Karl Burke, having landed Prix Jean Prat two starts ago and coming home fifth in the Sussex; Didn’t find Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint to his liking at all but should go well here for new and in – from Cecil yard.

Quqba: Really took off in 2009, improving from handicap company in April to a very near miss in Group 2 at Newmarket in October; Probably still improving but will need to do so and will have to be very sharp on return to take a hand.

Paco Boy: Top class miler who looked imperious when taking Bet365 Mile for second year on return; Was a beaten favourite in this last year but had an infected foot on ground too soft for him; No doubting he’s best horse in race and fact he’s had a run only helps his chances.

Pipedreamer: Ran very creditably last season in top class company, winning the Prix Dollar at Longchamp; Entitled to take a hand if none the worse for switch to Kevin Ryan yard.

Prince Of Dance: Unbeaten in 3 starts last year, showing infinite promise when winning 1 m listed event at Newmarket last backend; Started this season when well beaten behind Paco Boy in Bet365 Mile; Will have come on for that run, but needs to improve a lot to take a hand.

Stimulation: Looked very good in 2008 when landing Challenge Stakes at Newmarket but was restricted to only 2 runs last year, neither of them good enough to be winning this; This tough ask on seasonal reappearance.

The Cheka: Looked exceptional on debut as a 2 year old and has only had 3 runs since; Only seen once as a 3 year old, getting better of very useful horse in Ashram here in Conditions Stakes; Ran a very promising race in Bet364 Mile and may yet still take a high rank in milling division

Zacinto: Looked classy from word go but restricted to 5 starts, scoring well in listed race on belated return before second (didn't settle) to Delegator at Goodwood; Improved majorly on that when Giving Rip Van Winkle a real race in the QEII Stakes at Ascot; Took a bad step in Breeder’s Cup Mile (didn’t like the track) so that run can be discounted and still very much unexposed; Set to take high rank if improving again.

VERDICT: A good renewal of the Lockinge, with 2 class acts and some unexposed horses who could take a high rank in the Milling Division. While Zacinto manages to get closer to Rip Van Winkle than PACO BOY did, an infected foot and soft ground can be blamed for his rather weakish fourth in this race last year and the fact he’s already had a run when winning well at Sandown helps his cause. With 9 runners, there is an open spot for an e/w place and THE CHEKA is still very unexposed.