3 minute read

Jump racing may dominate British racing in winter but there’s high-class Flat-race action at Lingfield on Saturday when Royal Ascot winner Sangarius bids to dethrone all-weather star Dubai Warrior in the Quebec Stakes (2pm).

Dubai Warrior (John Gosden/Robert Havlin) is unbeaten in three starts over course and distance, having won this event 12 months ago before stamping his quality on the G3 Winter Derby in February, then returning to his favourite surface in style last month in the Churchill Stakes.

Sangarius (Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore), meanwhile, has been restricted to just one start since powering to an impressive victory in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes over this distance at Royal Ascot in 2019. 

The son of Kingman was fourth to subsequent Prince of Wales's Stakes victor Lord North in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Haydock Park in June, after which he underwent wind surgery.

Khalid Abdullah's racing manager Lord Grimthorpe said: "Sangarius had a hold up after Haydock, but he has come back well and his work over the last five or six weeks has been pleasing.

"He goes there in good shape. It is important to get him back on the racecourse as he has only had one race since winning at Royal Ascot in 2019. At the age he is now, we have to get going with him when we can.

"He has always shown plenty of promise and the team still retains the faith, as they say."

Andrew Balding saddles course-and-distance winner Bangkok (David Probert), never a factor in Bahrain on his last start,  and Johnny Drama (Danny Tudhope), who could not be in better form, having already rattled up a four-timer during this current all-weather campaign and most recently scoring in Listed company at Kempton. Both horses are owned by King Power Racing.

Prix d'Ispahan runner-up Almodovar (Ed Walker/Tom Marquand) and Godolphin's G3 scorer King's Command (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) also line up in a hot-looking contest.