With the two favorites for Saturday's G2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile at Ascot, Qatar Racing could well be celebrating a favorable outcome with either Arod (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) or Lightning Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Like chalk and cheese in what they have so far accomplished in the public realm, the former comes here on the back of a third in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 16 and a win in Epsom's G3 Diomed S. June 5 while the unbeaten Lightning Spear steps out of handicap company for the first time. Since being dropped in trip from middle distances, last year's G2 Dante S. runner-up and G1 Epsom Derby fourth Arod has thrived and the manner in which he dealt with the multiple group winner Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}) in the Diomed over an extended mile left a lasting impression. “We've been very happy with him since Epsom and decided to skip the Queen Anne at the Royal meeting to come here instead,” trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam explained. “I'm sure there's more improvement in him. He seems to be getting stronger all the time. We know he likes fast ground–the faster the better.”
Lightning Spear has doubled his tally this term with wins at Lingfield Apr. 29 and at Salisbury June 24 that may have masked his true ability and trainer Olly Stevens is keen to try him in this kind of company. “He's unbeaten over a mile and Ascot's stiff course wouldn't worry me at all,” he commented. “A smaller field was less risky. Had he run in a handicap on Saturday, it would have been his last handicap anyway before going on to Group races. We just decided to grasp the nettle a little bit early.” Godolphin's 2014 G2 Celebration and Boomerang Mile winner Bow Creek (Ire) (Shamardal) would offer stern opposition if able to rebound from a comeback sixth in the Apr. 24 G2 Sandown Mile, while the Lockinge fifth and subsequent May 30 G3 John of Gaunt S. scorer Cable Bay (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is another who holds valid claims now that connections appear to have found the key to him. “The ground might be slightly on the quick side for him, but he's a horse who is still improving and I don't think we've seen the best of him yet,” trainer Charlie Hills said.
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