Hype horse Equilateral on recovery mission at Newbury as Charlie Hills confident he’ll bounce back in Hackwood Stakes
EQUILATERAL was all the rage before the Commonwealth Cup but delivered a no-show to finish a well-beaten twelfth.
But trainer Charlie Hills retains the faith after what he described as a "filthy scope" post-Royal Ascot.
The three-year-old is favourite for the Group 3 Bet365 Hackwood Stakes at Newbury this weekend and will attempt to salvage his lofty reputation.
Hills has made no secret of the regard in which he holds the Khalid Abdullah-owned sprinter.
Having beaten subsequent three-time winner Foxtrot Lady by eight lengths when giving her 12lb at Doncaster, Equilateral seemingly had a valid reason for his lacklustre effort at Ascot.
Hills said: "He returned from the Commonwealth with a dirty scope, it was filthy, so he had an excuse.
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"He's done a couple of pieces of work since then which have been very encouraging.
"This looks a nice little spot for him. It obviously means taking on older horses, but there are a few there who ran nice races at Ascot.
"If he can repeat his Doncaster run, where he beat Andrew Balding's filly easily giving her weight, he should be involved.
"He was disappointing at Ascot, but I've always thought he was up to that level."
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He currently tops the betting at around the 3-1 mark with Projection and Bacchus hot on his heels.
Next in is the hardy Invincible Army, who may just get the sprinkle of rain he needs to be at his best.
He ran arguably his worst race to date in the Commonwealth Cup and was pulled out of the July Cup late on on account of the quick ground.
But again, trainer James Tate is happy to forgive him that run and expects better in the Hackwood.
Tate said: "Basically he seemed to have an off-day at Ascot, just like my filly who won in France this week (Second Generation), so you can forgive him for that.
"James Doyle rode him that day and he did think the ground was just a bit quick for him, so we're hoping it's not razor fast at Newbury.
"It would be great if they got the odd shower, but at least they have had some rain in the last week or two, which Newmarket hadn't had for weeks.
"We took him out of the July Cup, which was obviously an incredibly competitive race on very fast ground, and this is dropping back to a Group 3.
"He seems in very good form at home, so I'm fully expecting him to bounce back."
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum has two runners in Owen Burrows' Enjazaat and Richard Hannon's Yafta.
Angus Gold, racing manager to the owner, said: "Yafta is ultra-consistent and I think he's still improving.
"He's from a late-maturing family and he's got a tremendous will to win. I'm a big admirer of his.
"He ran well at Newcastle when beaten by an older horse (Above The Rest), we're just never sure what his trip is.
"He ran over six on the Rowley Mile when he stayed on as if he wanted further and the same thing happened over seven. His pedigree is all speed though.
"On the other hand Enjazaat is a frustrating horse. We thought we'd traced the problem last year to his wind, so we did that.
"He ran a great race first time out at Ascot, but then back there at the Royal meeting, he ran no race.
"The ability is there, I don't think he's ungenuine, it's a question of stringing the two runs together."