Brigadier Gerard Preview: Stoute holds strong hand

History was made at Sandown last year, when it played host to the first evening card to be shown on a terrestrial TV channel for 21 years. ITV’s decision to broadcast the fixture was vindicated by some top-notch performances on the track, too, with the highlight coming courtesy of Poet’s Word, who justified favouritism in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes with the minimum of fuss, in the process providing trainer Sir Michael Stoute with a remarkable tenth win in the race.

Sadly, Thursday’s card is not going to receive the same coverage, but one thing does look set to remain the same, with no prizes being offered for identifying the name of the man who trains the selection in the latest renewal of the Brigadier Gerard.

Admittedly, Regal Reality is nothing like the calibre of Opera House, Pilsudski or Workforce – three of Stoute’s best winners of the race – but he showed himself to be capable of smart form at three, notably when winning a Group 3 at Goodwood, and there could be even more to come from him this season if his reappearance effort is anything to go by. Indeed, his third in the bet365 Mile here (beaten a length and a half by Beat The Bank) last month represented the best effort of his short career to date, and the way he shaped suggested that the extra two furlongs here will be in his favour. His trainer clearly holds him in some regard (holds plenty of lofty entries, including the Coral-Eclipse over C&D), and this looks a good opportunity for him to start justifying that belief, with no finer man than Stoute to manage his progression through the ranks.

Beat The Bank finishes strongly to take the bet365 Mile at @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/WE1NirZj0y

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 26, 2019

The main danger to Regal Reality would appear to be the Mark Johnston-trained Matterhorn. He produced a high-class effort to win the Easter Classic on All-Weather Finals Day at Lingfield, storming clear in the straight to beat Wissahickon by seven lengths. That form is by far the best on offer in this line-up (5 lb clear on weight-adjusted ratings), but the question with him is whether he can run to that level on turf, one that still needs to be answered after he could only manage second in the Huxley Stakes at Chester (beaten three quarters of a length by Forest Ranger) last time. The testing ground may have been the bigger issue on that occasion, but he doesn’t make much appeal at the forecast cramped odds.

Danceteria and Elwazir are others to note in a six-strong field. The former was a four-time winner in handicaps last season and proved better than ever when winning a listed event at Maisons-Laffitte on his reappearance, doing well to run down one to whom he had conceded first run. This represents a marked step up in grade, but he is well worth a try at this level given his progressive profile. Elzawir is another four-year-old who has come via handicaps, looking a good prospect when winning at Ascot last July (strong form). He proved disappointing when stepped up to Group 3 for his only subsequent start at Haydock, but his absence afterwards suggests that all was not well with him on that occasion; he remains unexposed and could yet prove himself up to this level.

The other Group 3 on the card is the Henry II Stakes, in which Magic Circle will attempt to repeat his dominant performance of 12 months ago. Ian Williams’ charge has only been seen twice since then, most recently when finishing eight and a half lengths third to Morando on his reappearance in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester. Unsurprisingly, he shaped as if needing a stiffer test of stamina on that occasion, and it would be no surprise to see him get back to winning ways here, 4 lb clear of the field on weight-adjusted ratings with that outing likely to have blown the cobwebs away.

Mekong is an interesting contender for Sir Michael Stoute, with the prospect of more to come this season, especially now stepping up to two miles. However, the main challenge to Magic Circle appears to come in the shape of three relative newcomers to the staying scene trained by Mark Johnston, namely Dee Ex Bee, Austrian School and Making Miracles.

A smart stayer in the making - Dee Ex Bee romps to victory in the Group 3 Longines Sagaro Stakes at @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/Up6i6aOVjx

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 1, 2019

The last-named pair have both won big handicaps already this season – few horses have taken the Chester Cup apart in the manner that Making Miracles did last time – but it is Dee Ex Bee who looks likely to pose the biggest threat to Magic Circle. Classy enough to finish second in the Derby last season, his pedigree/physique pointed to him making an even better four-year-old, and he appears to have a bright future over staying trips if the evidence of his winning reappearance in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot is anything to go by, staying on strongly to beat Raymond Tusk by over three lengths. He appeals as a likely contender for the Gold Cup, with further improvement on the cards as his stamina is drawn out, but he could just prove vulnerable conceding 2 lb to the speedier Magic Circle here.

The two listed races on the card have also attracted interesting fields, with David O’Meara’s Full Authority making plenty of appeal in the National Stakes. A race that has been won by the likes of Rizeena, Tiggy Wiggy and Havana Grey in recent years, a low draw has often proved a big advantage – rather typical of Sandown’s five-furlong track – and Full Authority couldn’t have fared any better on that front, with Daniel Tudhope’s job made much easier from stall 1. His mount was quick out of the gates before making all the running to win by seven lengths on his debut at Chester, and a similarly fast start should make him difficult to peg back here, with Musselburgh winner Proper Beau and Jm Jackson heading the list of dangers.

Kingman – the sire of Full Authority – has made a bright start to his career at stud, and his name is highly likely to be in the headlines once again after the Heron Stakes, in which he is the sire of five of the eight runners. As the ‘p’ attached to their ratings would suggest, all of them remain with potential, but we return to where we started this preview for the selection, with that man Sir Michael Stoute set to be represented by the hugely promising Sangarius.

A winner of his first two starts as a two-year-old, he was stepped up in grade for the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on his final start that season, and ultimately found it all a bit too much too soon, still looking green and not unduly punished as he was left behind by the principals in the closing stages (beaten three and a quarter lengths by Too Darn Hot). The involvement at that level is likely to have brought him on, though, and his big frame identifies him as one who should make a much better three-year-old old; this looks an ideal starting point to his campaign, and he is fancied to improve past the standard-setting Walkinthesand to take this, before going on to bigger and better things.