Arab Spring back in form
Sir Michael Stoute's six-year-old has had a stop-start career but looked back to his best when running away with the September Stakes at Kempton on his last start
ARAB Spring bids to continue his resurgence in the Gigaset Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
The well-related six-year-old looked another exciting prospect for Sir Michael Stoute and owner-breeders Ballymacoll Stud after completing a four-timer in the 2014 Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, but disappointed at Newmarket the following month and his career has been stop-start since.
Arab Spring raced just twice last year and did not make his comeback this season until August, when he was a creditable third in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock.
A tilt at the Juddmonte International at York proved a little too ambitious, but he proved his class with an impressive display in the September Stakes on the all-weather at Kempton last time and hopes are high he can follow up on his return to turf.
Ballymacoll Stud manager Peter Reynolds said: "We're looking forward to it and hopefully he'll run a nice race.
"He's in good form and a mile and a half suits him well. Jamie Spencer rides him. He rode him at York and knows him well, so fingers crossed.
"I know there's a few fancied ones in it, but hopefully he has a good chance."
Reynolds insisted no decision had been made on whether Arab Spring will race on as a seven-year-old next season.
"We'll see what happens on Saturday before we make any plans," he added.
Arab Spring faces eight rivals in the Group Three, including his hat-trick-seeking stablemate Kings Fete, winner of the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood and the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury on his last two starts.
The highest-rated runner is the John Gosden-trained Western Hymn, who has his sights lowered after failing to get competitive in the Coral-Eclipse and the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Move Up is an interesting contender for Saeed bin Suroor and Godolphin
The Dubawi colt has won four of his seven starts including the Group Two Bosphorus Cup in Turkey last time out.
";He won well last time, but this race is very tough," said bin Suroor.
"He worked well in his last piece of work on the Limekilns and we hope he can improve and run well in a good race here in England."
Andrew Balding's course-and-distance winner Duretto and William Knight's recent Epsom scorer Goodwood Zodiac also feature.