Private Club

Sir Michael Stoute is one off drawing alongside the record of Alec Taylor in the G2 Dunaden Jockey Club S., and Saturday's renewal of the 12-furlong Newmarket contest features Across the Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), a colt who compares favourably with any of his previous eight winners. Saeed Suhail's G2 King Edward VII S. scorer, who was also third in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. when last seen at York in August, returns after a 3-year-old campaign that offered solid results at a decent standard and promise for the future in equal measure, and rates as one of the season's more exciting middle-distance prospects. “We didn't think he showed his best form in the Voltigeur. He didn't finish very well that day and he came back quite sore,” explained the owner's racing manager Bruce Raymond. “Sir Michael gave him plenty of time to get over it and he's back working very well. He doesn't run them in these sort of races if they're not working well. Because of his record in this race, Sir Michael knows which horses are suited to it and this horse must have a very good chance. Sir Michael excels with this type of horse.”

Penalised for her G1 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks successes, Seventh Heaven (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) nonetheless makes for an imposing presence against the colts especially as she is race-hardened after a second in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 25. Old logic that the colts are stronger than the fillies is in the process of being gradually deconstructed, and Ballydoyle's members of that sex are particularly potent at present. Fair Salinia Ltd's homebred One Foot In Heaven (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) remains on the brink of the highest class, and it is notable that Alain de Royer-Dupre retains faith in the son of Pride (Fr) (Peintre Celebre), who proved so masterful in the G1 Champion S. here in 2006. Last year's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly and G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner and G1 Hong Kong Vase third has to improve off his return effort when seventh in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt over 10 furlongs at Chantilly on Apr. 9, but is unexposed on this type of fast surface. “One Foot In Heaven lost a front shoe in the early stages of the Prix d'Harcourt and was not given a hard time thereafter,” owner-breeder Sven Hanson commented. “Pride did not have her best season until she was six. One Foot In Heaven is five now and will hopefully keep racing and allow us to have some more fun. We would have preferred a little more cut in the ground for the Jockey Club S. and we do not know for sure how he will handle the dip.”