Mark Johnston’s Permian heads the British and Irish challengers at Arlington Park on Saturday
Mark Johnston's colt has been brilliant this season and has danced every dance although a Group 1 win is still missing from his CV at the moment
PERMIAN will bid for this first Group 1 victory in Saturday's Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park.
Mark Johnston's quest for an elusive top level victory has seen him ship Permian halfway across the world where he will line up as one of the favourites.
Johnston's colt has already won the Dante and the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot and will have to carry a 7lb penalty, but so does is main rival Oscar Performance.
Charlie Johnston, the Middleham trainer's son and assistant, said: "There's only six horses in the race and he comes out top on ratings.
🏇 Templegate's Top Tips 🏇
By Templegate
- NAP Brighton (3.40) - Harbour Rock: 'A progressive horse who should find more improvement over this trip'.
- NEXT BEST Wolverhampton (1.50) - Corinthia Knight: 'Takes a big drop in grade and will take all the beating'.
- TREBLE Newmarket (7.35) - Titi Makfi: 'Not beaten far on her last two starts and can bounce back to winning ways'.
"It's a bit of a different test - a sharp mile and a quarter on an American circuit - but this horse has shown how adaptable he is all season.
"We thought the French race would take a lot out of him and he'd need a bit longer, but he came out of it better than ever.
"He's just the most phenomenal horse. Everything we've thrown at him this year, he's come back asking for more.
"He's travelled over super and William (Buick) knows him better than anyone.
"Priority number one is to try and get a Group 1 under his belt. Let's hope he'll take a bit of beating."
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French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget has sent over Afandem, the mount of Frankie Dettori while Aidan O'Brien saddles Taj Mahal, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore.
O'Brien and Moore team up with Rain Goddess in the Beverly D Stakes, in which Hugo Palmer's former inmate Hawksmoor is on a hat-trick for trainer Arnaud Delacour.
Marco Botti's Fanciful Angel, a winner in Dubai in January, faces 12 rivals in the Arlington Million.
Botti told At The Races: "This is a tough race, but he stays a mile and a quarter on a sharp track. Whether he'll be up to this level, we'll find out.
"Hopefully the ground doesn't go too soft as he really wants top of the ground. Daniel Muscutt knows the horse very well and we're hoping for a good run."
Deauville, third in the race behind Mondialiste 12 months ago, is the likely favourite for the Moore-O'Brien axis.