Zacinto the one in Lockinge Stakes
The Classic generation steps aside in favour of their elders now for the Group One totesport.com Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
The race has attracted a field of nine but appears likely to develop into a match between Paco Boy and Zacinto. The pair have never met but there is one horse who ties in closely with both horses.
Paco Boy developed into a classy miler last year, winning the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he was beaten two-and-a-half lengths by Rip Van Winkle in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in August.
That was his final run of the season but hew came back last month to win the Group Two Sandown Mile, although he was greatly favoured by the conditions of the race as he did not have to carry a Group One penalty for his Queen Anne victory.
Zacinto has not yet won a Group One race and missed the first half of last season after an injury sustained in his last run as a two-year-old was compounded by a further setback in the spring. However, he came back for an autumn campaign and ran Rip Van Winkle to one-and-a-quarter lengths in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in September.
There followed a disappointing run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, where Zacinto did not handle the tight turf track at Santa Anita, but the straight mile at Newbury should not be a problem and he is reported to have been working well in the build-up to this race.
The lack of a run may not be such a problem because Zacinto has won first time out in both seasons that he has raced. He is officially rated 2lbs below Paco Boy but, as a four-year-old, is likely to still be improving.
Of the rest of the field Lord Shanakill, appearing for Henry Cecil for the first time, is likely to run well but may need the run.
Elsewhere on the card Cecil may continue his flying form – 30% strike-rate for the month - with Blizzard Blues in the totepool Aston Park Stakes, while Monterosso recent defeat of Eleanora Duse (close third in the Musidora Stakes at York on Wednesday) looks good enough form for the totescoop6 London Gold Cup.
In America the second leg of the US Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, takes place at Pimlico racecourse. Super Saver was a surprise winner of the Kentucky Derby, where he made the best of a track that had been hit by heavy rain.
There is a chance of similar conditions for the Preakness and Super Saver can assert again with Lookin At Lucky the main danger.
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