Having been given a break,Faylaq looks worth siding with at 5/1 with Bethard to land the spoils in the 1m 4f Heritage Handicap at Ascot on Saturday, the Lavazza Stakes (15:55).
This William Haggas trained three-year-old colt shaped with promise in his first three starts and has really come into his own since being sent handicapping.
The beautifully bred son of Dubawi made a total mockery of his opening mark of 73 when quickening clear to easily beat Battle Of Joy by 4 1/2 lengths at Beverley.
Connections then wisely decided to turn Faylaq out quick under a 6lb penalty, and he duly followed-up at Newmarket when cruising clear to win in facile fashion by six lengths.
That commanding display saw the assessor hit him with a 14lb rise in the weights. Faylaq ran very well in his hat-trick bid over course and distance when finding only Floating Artist a length too good.
He looked all over the winner when cruising on the heels of the leaders two from home in the hands of Jim Crowley but, after taking up the running inside the final furlong, hung left and weakened badly in the last 75 yards.
Faylaq found far less than looked likely, yet it may well have been that he wasn’t quite right and feeling something as he had previously finished off his races strongly.
Haggas has since given him a break to freshen up, and that looks a wise move for a horse that looks to have plenty more potential in the locker.
Faylaq does now have a career-high rating of 95 to overcome, but he could be a future pattern performer in the making so is taken to resume winning ways en route to better things.
Cirque Royal a big player for the Boys in Blue
Cirque Royal, who carries the famous all blue colours of powerful owners Godolphin, looks a fascinating contender on handicap debut for trainer Charlie Appleby.
After shaping with stacks of promise when runner-up at Wolverhampton, this three-year-old son of Cape Cross opened his account in good style when making all and running on strongly to beat Ragnar by 2 1/2 lengths at Chelmsford.
The runner-up has won twice since, whilst the third home Persuading was beaten just 1 3/4 lengths next time up at Newmarket when third to subsequent Group 2 winner and current St Leger favourite Logician.
That gives the form a solid look. Cirque Royal has since followed-up at Lingfield when cruising to a seven length success over Blood Eagle.
He has been allocated an opening handicap mark of 96 on the back of that. Although that is no gimme, he’s an unexposed and lightly-raced sort who is clearly going the right way.
The strength of Cirque Royal’s success over Ragnar and Persuading also suggests that it is unlikely to be beyond him.
So, with the stable in fine form and operating at a strike rate of 25 per cent strike rate in the last 14 days at the time of writing, there is nothing not to like about his profile.
Cirque Royal can be backed at 9/2 with BetVictor to land the hat-trick in the Lavazza Stakes.
Apparate weighted to go well
The Roger Varian trained Apparate has shown progressive form this season and is another with claims in a wide open renewal where 14 are set to go to post.
This three-year-old son of Dubawi opened his account at the third time of asking when holding on gamely to beat Harrovian by half-a-length in a 10-runner maiden at Newmarket.
The runner-up has won since and also ran well to be placed in two decent handicaps at Goodwood off marks of 89 and 91, so that gives the form a decent look.
Apparate then ran very well on handicap debut at Salisbury when a keeping on 1 1/4 lengths third to Desert Icon off a rating of 83, before finding only Dubai Tradition a head too strong when second at Newmarket off 2lb higher.
They front two pulled nicely clear of the third home, so a 4ln rise in the weights looks more than fair.
A revised rating of 89 for Apparate looks exploitable, judged on his aforementioned success over Harrovian.
He has also been given a break to fresh-up and looks to have been laid out for this by his shrewd handler whose runners always command the utmost respect in this type of contest.
At 9/1 with Coral, then, Apparate makes plenty of each-way appeal in a race in which a case can be made for most.
Persian Moon capable of outrunning Lavazza Stakes odds
At odds of 16/1 with Paddy Power, Persian Moon looks a lively outsider and also appeals from an each-way betting perspective.
This Mark Johnston trained three-year-old had some smart form as a juvenile when winning three times and finishing a fine third to subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix Of Spain in a Group 3 at York.
Persian Moon has also posted three solid efforts this season, finishing a half-length third to Bangkok in a Group 2 at Sandown off an official rating of 103, and third and fourth in Listed contests at Newmarket and Goodwood.
The son of Nakfi also ran well seven days ago when runner-up to stable companion Vivid Diamond in another Listed affair at Chester, and now drops back down into handicap company off a mark of 99.
That makes him a player at the weights on the pick of his form and Persian Moon has been placed over this course and distance.
The booking of Adam Kirby to partner him for the first time is also an eye-catching one, as he has a healthy strike rate of just under 23 per cent when teaming up with the yard in the past 12 months.
Persian Moon looks sure to make his presence felt, and it would be no surprise to see him hit the Lavazza Stakes frame.
