Sovereign Stakes 2010

4.15 Sailsbury
totesport.com Sovereign Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus)
Winner £34,062
Pick: Hearts Of Fire (win)
Pressing: Top quality horse who has been running well at the top level for number of years now, having had his best season last year when winning Tokapi Trophy and Group 1 in Germany; Confirmed himself as good as ever when landing Group 2 over this trip at Milan in May but this no easier and has to give away 5lbs.

Dream Eater: Excellent 5th in 2,000 Guineas 2 years ago before then finishing 3rd in the Jersey Stakes, suffering a setback afterwards; Has continued to run some consistent races at decent level and had a carrer best season, but has found it hard to win sometimes and this is good race.

Fannulter: Showed promise last season and has gone on from his second in the Lincoln trial, winning Doncaster Mile before 2 consecutive fourth place finishes behind Pressing and Premio Loco; Weighted to turnaround form with Pressing but was beaten same distance off same weights last time they met.

Secrecy: Lightly-raced 4-y-o who produced really smart effort to win 1m Newmarket handicap last October; No surprise if more to come but he was readily brushed aside by Snaafy in Dubai and will need to improve a lot.

Fair Trade: Improved on promise shown in only start at 2 when landing Newbury maiden in decent style; Hasn’t really built on that promise so far and this another tough spot.

Freeforaday: 3-time winner at up to 6f last year and has built on that in defeat, with a good fourth in the Jersey his best run; Finishing well when fifth in listed contest last time, but this demands a lot more.

Hearts Of Fire: Got much better with experience as a 2 year old despite being forward enough to win Brocklesby on debut, also improving for step up in trip when landing Group 1 over a mile in Italy; Dissapointed on comeback run in 2,000 Guineas but showed that all wrong when third in St James Palace Stakes (having been short for room at a crucial stage); Ran to same level when fourth in Prix Jean Prat last time and major chance here.

Nideeb: Progressed at rate of knots as a juvenile, scoring in listed company at Ascot; Didn’t quite go on from that, having had imitations exposed in Group 3 when last seen in October, and this is a tough task on return.

Poet’s Voice: Showed plenty of potential for all that he was very keen in the early part of last season (Broke out of stalls and managed to lose the Acomb Stakes by pulling to hard); Showed what he could do when beating Viscount Nelson in Champagne Stakes only to then run probably below his best when fourth in Middle Park; Hasn’t run anywhere near his bestthis season and others appeal more.

Sea Lord: Typically progressive front runner from the yard, having won 5 of last his 6 starts in handicaps posting a new best yet when winning the Tote Mile last time out in gutsy fashion; Well worth crack at this level and tough to beat.

VERDICT: A good solid race for the level. Dream Eater and especially Pressing set a decent standard but Sea Lord is a tough nut to crack and HEARTS OF FIRE may be too good for them all based on his efforts in the St James’s Palace and Prix Jean Prat.