John Gosden enters the unexposed four-year-old TASHWEEQ in the Bunbury Cup and he has very likeable claims.
He ran extremely well to finish a close third from a tough draw in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot last month, and is allowed to run off his same mark, officially 4lbs well-in.
He picked up a listed contest at Doncaster during his two-year-old campaign. That was then followed up by two respectable runs at Group 1 level to conclude the season. He failed to turn out as a three-year-old before returning in April this year, off a 544-day break to finish dead last.
That reappearance run blew away the cobwebs and he duly bounced back to form at Ascot next time out with a fantastic run. That was just his seventh start, and his first run in a handicap, so there could be plenty more to come for a yard that has trained him patiently.
Tashweeq won his maiden over course and distance and is the pick of stable jockey Jim Crowley. He is the favourite for this race, but looks a worthy one so we have no qualms about getting behind him.
The other Royal Ascot runner entering this race well-in is the Godolphin-owned STEADY PACE.
A consistent sort – particularly during his trip to Dubai earlier this year – who looks capable of taking one of these big handicap prizes off his current mark.
He ran a fine race at the Royal Meeting to finish close in third behind a resurgent and well-handicapped Out Do . Steady Pace can go close again if he shows up in the same vain considering he is 3lbs lighter than his official mark.
He has some nice pieces of form as a juvenile at Newmarket as well, behind the likes of the classy Shalaa, so there should be no concerns about the track for him.
Admittedly Steady Pace has done plenty of his racing over 6f, but he remains with potential improvement over 7f having won over this trip on the all-weather, and he looked liked the extra furlong would do him no harm in the Wokingham.
Josephine Gordon gets the ride again and she will have learned a lot about him in recent weeks, and his odds of 10/1 look worth taking with five places on offer.
1pt win Tashweeq @5/1 (Boylesports),15:25 Newmarket, Saturday
0.75pt each-way Steady Pace @10/1 (five places, 1/5 odds Paddy Power), 15:25 Newmarket, Saturday