Untouchable prior to finding Haydock's six-furlong strip too sharp when third in the May 28 G2 Sandy Lane S., Dr Ali Ridha's Gifted Master (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is back over what is probably an ideal scenario tackling seven furlongs on Ascot's stiff track in Wednesday's G3 Jersey S. Already successful here in the Apr. 27 G3 Pavilion S. over a furlong shorter, the hard-hitting front-runner stretched as far as a mile when successful in the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket in October, which came in between scores in that track's £500,000 Tattersalls Millions 2yo Trophy over this trip and the £100,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-y-o Sprint over six Apr. 13. Two-lengths third in the Autumn, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Ibn Malik (Ire) (Raven's Pass) faces up to Gifted Master again with three pounds in hand and comes here on the back of a win in the Listed European Free H. at Newmarket Apr. 13. Shadwell's other runner is the unbeaten Thikriyaat (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), who captured the Listed King Charles II S. also at this distance at Newmarket last time May 14 and hails from the Sir Michael Stoute stable successful on a record five occasions beginning with Etienne Gerard (GB) in 1977. Also of intrigue is the Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas third Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who looks the pick of Godolphin's trio despite the five-pound penalty he is forced to carry as a result of his win in Newbury's G2 Mill Reef S. over six furlongs on good-to-soft ground in September. Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing Limited's Castle Harbour (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) is unexposed after two wins, most recently in a competitive handicap over this trip at York May 11, while the Niarchos Family's Bolting (War Front) is also a factor even though he has yet to encounter this kind of ground and needs to improve on his latest win in Chantilly's Listed Prix du Pont-Neuf over this trip May 9.
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