Group One Lockinge Stakes Guide 2021

Twice winner of the Lockinge stakes, John Gosden, is represented at the head of the market by strong favourite Palace Pier.

Palace Pier has the opportunity to assert dominance in the milers division here in the first Group One of the season, after six wins in his opening seven runs.

The son of Kingman, in his only ever loss, lost a shoe at Ascot to end his unbeaten streak and connections had the soft ground to blame, although Palace Pier had won well previously in heavy conditions over in France (G1, 8f).

He boasts another Group One success in the form of the St James’ Palace stakes (8f) as a 3yo and marked his return for his 4yo season with a Group Two victory at Sandown in the Bet365 mile (8f). 

He’s entitled to come on from that run having gained some race sharpness whilst his previously recorded ratings have him well clear at the top in this field.

Difficult to oppose here and usual jock Frankie Dettori is booked on board who has four past wins in the Lockinge. 

Lope Y Fernandez is the Aidan O’Brien representative in this race, who boasts dual Lockinge success’, most recently with Rhododendron in the 2018 renewal.

He remains relatively unexposed over a mile and poses an interesting proposition here on the back of an impressive listed win on just his third career start at the distance last time out at Leopardstown, finishing with an eventual 5 1/2 winning margin. 

The son of Lope De Vega was a highly touted 2yo, going off as favourite for the Chesham (7f) and only being beaten by Pinatubo that day, who went on to become one of the best juveniles in recent history. 

He subsequently dropped back to 6f to win a Group three at Curragh however following since that run has struggled for wins, despite running big races in the Irish 2000 Guineas (3rd, 8f), the Jean Prat (2nd, 7f) and the Breeders Cup Mile (3rd, 8f) all of which are Group/Grade One affairs.

O’Briens colt has been described by the yard as a horse destined for a much better 4yo season now consistently running at a mile and he’s entitled to have come on from his comeback run. 

He’ll have it all to do against Palace Pier, however does offer some value for those looking to take him on the fav or punters backing the ‘without favourite’ market. 

Top Rank for James Tate has been progressive over the mile distance and has continuously moved ‘up the ranks’ to now be entered into this Group One affair.

The son of Dark Angel has group winning form with a Group Three success on soft ground in the Betfair Superior Mile (8f), beating My Oberon by 1 1/2 lengths on his penultimate run of his 3yo season. 

He returned from a six month break last time out at Doncaster to win in Listed company in the Doncaster mile stakes (8f), further proving his versatility ground wise and his sharpness back from a layoff. 

That win took his record to now six wins in eight races and he should strip fitter from the comeback run. 

The 5 year old remains relatively lightly raced and this will be his first taste of Group One company so will need to step up on his previous performances despite his attractive record. 

The Lockinge has thus far eluded the grasps of  in form trainer William Haggas who enters My Oberon into the race. 

The four year old colt remains low mileage and looks to be continuously improving, signified by his Group Three win at Newmarket last time out (9f) where he kept on well to the line. 

That race was his first run in six months and really showed the improvements made and the race sharpness possessed by the runner after a break, by which he is entitled to build upon. 

The drop back to 8f does pose a slightly different proposition given the way he kept on to the line last time out and My Oberon will need to prove his natural speed against these top class opponents. 

Having said this, he should continue to progress once more here and the experience he’ll gain in this Group One contest will be invaluable for future affairs. 

Safe Voyage for John Quinn was last seen stateside in the grade one Breeders Cup mile in November, however wasn’t quite up to the task on firm ground and finished last of the 14. 

Safe Voyage has done his best running on soft/heavy ground and boasts victories in Listed - Group Two company, with a couple of Group Two victories last year as a seven year old. 

The son of Fast Company is known to run well coming back from a break and returns from a 189 day layoff to compete in the Lockinge. 

He will appreciate more rain in ground however despite his age, his form last season puts him in the mix here and he may just run a big race at a price. 

Simon & Ed Crisford’s representative in the race is Century Dream who they will be hoping will give them their a Lockinge success.

The seven year old son of Cape Cross has winning group form over 8f with Group Three and Group Two success’ just last season. 

He appreciates soft ground, although he has won a Group Three event on good, and he returns from a 210 day break to compete here. 

Despite this, his form figures read 44347759 at Group/Grade One level and he will need to make a huge step forward on his comeback to be involved here, especially with race sharpness to prove.

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy takes it up on board the only mare in the field, Lady Bowthorpe, who receives a weight allowance for taking on the boys.

She’s a progressive type, landing the Group Three Valiant Fillies’ stakes at Ascot (8f) in assertive fashion as a four year old and marked her seasonal return with a Group Two victory in the Dalhia Stakes (9f) last time out.

The daughter of Nathaniel definitely looks a classy type, however the manner she kept on last time out makes her exposed to the pace on offer on the drop back to 8f and she may just struggle against the males here

Lord Glitters has enjoyed a successful winter in Dubai, boasting Group Two and Group One success’ at the Middle Eastern venue, both wins coming over the 9f distance

Despite this, David O’Meara’s runner has plenty to prove having not won on UK soil since 2019 and dropping back to the mile distance on his return. 

He also only managed a 13th placed finish on his only visit to Newbury, giving him a big task at hand, despite clearly stepping up for his wins this winter.

Charles Hills’ runner, Pogo, marked the beginning of his five year old season with a listed win at Leicester (7f) and is entitled to come on from that run. 

The son of Zebedee was assertive last season at Windsor when scoring in listed company by 5 1/2 lengths on good-firm ground.

He also appears to be versatile ground wise with a close second behind Happy Power in a Group Two at Newmarket on his penultimate run on soft ground and that should bode well here. 

Despite this, the Lockinge represents another step up in grade and through form lines with Happy Powers, it looks as though he has a lot of ground to make up on the favourite. 

Happy Power was a hat-trick hero last season at 7f with two of those wins coming in Group Three and Group Two affairs.

Andrew Balding’s runner is clearly versatile groundwise having won upon soft all the way up to good to firm conditions, however has it all to prove back up at 8f. 

He didn’t quite make it home on his re-appearance at the distance, weakening in the final furlong and finishing an eventual 12 1/2 lengths behind re-opposing favourite Palace Pier.

Putting that into perspective, he has a lot to find here. 

Trainer Roger Varian is in great form currently and has had plenty of winners since the beginning of this flat season. 

Varian is represented in the field by Lord Campari who only currently has four runs to his name. 

His sole win came over C&D under conditions similar to what are forecasted for the Lockinge.

The son of Kingman is impressively bred, costing 350,000 Guineas as a yearling, although does look bred for shorter trips. 

It would be a gigantic task to win a race of this class at this stage of his career and despite looking to have a big potential in the sport, this looks beyond him based on his current exploits. 

Bless Him is the outsider of the field for trainer David Simcock and jockey Jamie Spencer.

The Sea The Stars gelding has enjoyed Class 2 success’ on turf and the all weather before being shipped off for a trio of lacklustre efforts at Meydan. 

Last time out, he was the second placed finisher behind Palace Pier, however that was an eight length beating and Bless Him will need to produce something spectacular to reverse that form.