Palace Pier tops Lockinge contenders

Gosdens’ dual Group One winner among 16 Newbury confirmations.

Palace Pier is on course to try to extend his Group One-winning CV as one of 16 contenders left in Newbury’s Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Palace Pier’s only career defeat to date came when third in last October’s QEII Stakes on Champions Day on unsuitably soft ground.

Palace Pier has since looked very classy when winning the bet365 Mile at Sandown by eight lengths on his reappearance this season.

Aidan O’Brien has left in just one possible on Saturday in Lope Y Fernandez, having taken out the likes of Order of Australia and Mogul.

James Tate is running his stable star Top Rank following a very impressive return to action at Doncaster, and the lightly-raced five-year-old looks to still have more to offer.

“It’s easy to say ‘never be afraid of one horse’ but the point is as a Listed winner and Group Three winner, if you said we could definitely be second on Saturday, I’d be satisfied,” said Tate.

“It’s a Group One, worth lot of money, and we’ll be doing our best to win. He’s in good form – and I think a straight, flat mile at Newbury will suit, and probably the forecast ground (good to soft) too.

“He did look very impressive at Doncaster, and if you took Palace Pier out or you were in a Group Two you’d be very optimistic. But you can’t do that – we’re in a Group One, and arguably Europe’s best miler is in there.

“But you can’t be afraid of one horse – the favourite does not win most of the time, so hopefully he’ll go there and do us proud.”

William Haggas’ My Oberon is another who looks capable of mixing it at a higher level, having won the Earl Of Sefton Stakes on his return to action.

David O’Meara’s grand servant Lord Glitters, the Charlie Hills-trained duo of Pogo and Tilsit and John Quinn’s Safe Voyage are among others left in.

William Jarvis’ Lady Bowthorpe is the only mare in contention.

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