Dalghar for Diadem Stakes
A horse who has been beaten in his last three starts hardly looks the most viable prospect for the feature race on a quality card at Ascot.
But Dalghar is worth another try in the Group Two John Guest Diadem Stakes. Alain de Royer-Dupre is not a trainer who brings horses to this country simply because he fancies an away day and the fact that the trainer elected to supplement the colt for this race gives an idea of his enthusiasm for a horse who has been getting close without winning.
Dalghar ran far too free early on when he was fifth to Goldikova in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and it was a similar story when he ran in the Group Two Betfair Cup at Goodwood in July. Again he pulled hard over the early part of the seven furlongs and could not see out the last hundred yards.
The drop to six furlongs, on ground that is likely to make it a test of stamina in terms of sprinting, should be ideal for a horse who comes out at least 5lbs clear of the field according to official BHA handicap ratings.
For sheer consistency it is hard to fault Laaheb (pictured), who can make it seven wins from just 12 starts in the Group Three Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes. He holds Whispering Gallery, on their run at Newmarket in June, and since then Laaheb has been two-and-a-quarter lengths second to Sans Frontieres (subsequent winner of the Irish St Leger) at Newbury in August and then beat Holberg in the Group Three September Stakes at Kempton, and that form was franked when Holberg won at Listed race at Goodwood this week.
Tastahil’s form in the Group Two Doncaster Cup – one-and-a-quarter lengths second to Samuel –should be good enough for the Listed SIS Live Fenwolf Stakes.
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