Guineas winner Poetic Flare stands tall in Sussex Stakes

Horse Racing

PA Sport Reporters
July 22, 2021 2:45 pm

Jim Bolger’s star has been busy.

Poetic Flare will face a maximum of 11 rivals in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.

Jim Bolger’s 2000 Guineas hero has already run five times this season, but appears to be thriving on his racing judged on his sensational performance in last month’s St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

With star older miler Palace Pier withdrawn as expected following unsatisfactory blood results, Poetic Flare is a red-hot favourite to add to his Group One tally next week.

Aidan O’Brien retains a strong hand, with Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia and Queen Anne runner-up Lope Y Fernandez confirmed along with two other stablemates in Battleground and Wembley.

There are two top-class fillies in contention, with Richard Hannon’s Snow Lantern and the Andrew Balding-trained Alcohol Free potentially renewing rivalry. Alcohol Free came out on top in the Coronation Stakes, but Snow Lantern reversed the form in the Falmouth at Newmarket.

Hannon could also call upon Chindit, Charlie Hills is set to saddle Summer Mile winner Tilsit and Duhail could be sent across the Channel by leading French trainer Andre Fabre.

Century Dream (Simon and Ed Crisford) and Space Traveller (Richard Fahey) are the other hopefuls.

Anyone looking to have a bet on the race will be keen to know some stats before potentially backing a winner.

Bookies normally always price the favourite low understandably, and given that Between 2008 and 2016 there was only one favourite who didn’t win.

Back the favourite, only if you can get it at a good price. Stats also shown that 67% of winners have been 3 years old, and 33% have been over 4, so backing a younger runner could well work in your favour.