The Group Three Legacy Cup Stakes at Newbury has the feel of a rematch between Desert Encounter and Second Step.
Perhaps the class horse is My Dream Boat, though, after he beat the subsequent Arc winner in a Group One at Royal Ascot last year, but he’s been running well below that level this year and doesn’t get his preferred soft ground.
11/1 is very tempting but I’d rather back something more solid.
That’s exactly what Second Step is, having won or placed in his last five starts, including a fine second to subsequent Irish Champion Stakes second Poet’s Word.
That certainly eases the concern about this step up in class from Listed level – and on the whole his form stands up.
However, I am a big fan of DESERT ENCOUNTER for David Simcock and I think 5/1 is too big.
He’s pretty versatile regarding the ground and this step back by one furlong from a mile-and-a-half will likely suit him after his clear career best behind Ulysses in the Coral Eclipse came over a mile-and-a-quarter.
This is also a sharper trip than when he was narrowly beaten at Goodwood earlier this season by Second Step – he was also slowly away from the stalls that day so had some excuses too.
Last time out he couldn’t get involved in a top-class renewal of the King George at Ascot, where Arc favourite Enable thrashed the field and it turned into a bit of a slog in soft conditions.
This is a big drop in class from that and there’s nothing of Enable or Ulysses’s class in this field, so I’m happy to put a line through it.
5/1 looks worth getting stuck into.
1pt win Desert Encounter @5/1, 14:15 Newbury, Saturday
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