Group Two Joel Stakes Guide 2021

The favourite for the event is the 2000 Guineas second Master Of The Seas who has not been seen since the event due to injury but if returning in similar form could be tough to beat.

The three year old has been seen six times during his career, making his debut in June 2020 at Newmarket over seven furlongs and getting off the mark in good style.

He then went into the Group Two Superlative Stakes over the same course and distance and beat a smart field by three lengths.

Trying to keep his unbeaten juvenile record he went to the Curragh for the Group One Vincent O'Brien National Stakes and finished a stellar fourth behind the best of the Irish, that have all since franked the form in the Dewhurst Stakes.

The colt made his first start this year at Meydan in February in a Listed event over a mile and he finished a good second behind stablemate Naval Crown.

He then came back over to England for a prep run ahead of the 2000 Guineas in the Group Three Craven Stakes and in taking style saw off another stablemate in La Barrosa.

It was all systems go for the first Classic event of the season and with William Buick choosing the colt over other Appleby trained entries, he was always set to go close.

In a photo-finish he finished a narrow second to Poetic Flare for Jim Bolger, with the winner obviously since franking the from multiple times.

Looks the one to beat.

Another runner for Godolphin but for Saeed bin Suroor is his stable star Benbatl, who is looking to land his second renewal of this race.

The son of Dubawi was impressive on his first run of last season in this event, finishing third behind Guineas winner Kameko with his handler explaining his six year old lacked a little bit of race fitness.

With slight complications he wasn't seen again last term and returned at Goodwood this term in the Group Two Celebration Mile and having ran a cracker he went down by a short head.

Having had that run he should improve massively and looks a big contender, holding some superb Group One form throughout his career.

The son of Cable Bay was a £175,000 purchase as a yearling and last year was seen three times, winning smartly on debut at Ascot by three lengths and then backing that up in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Town Moor when a head second to New Mandate.

He was next seen on heavy ground at Newbury in October in a Group Three event, where the conditions ruined any chance he has, so the less rain the better for him.

The now three year old had not been seen since then, but returned for his first run of the season in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes where he was only beaten by the smart Sacred for William Haggas.

That was a superb run after a fair amount of time off but last time out he did not improve for that run when only third in the Group Two Park Stakes at the St Leger meeting.

Looks a tough ask on that form, but the return to quicker ground might help.

A highly campaigned handicapper, Sir Busker has amassed 28 runs and five wins in his career.

Most notably when winning the Silver Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last year. Shouldering top weight, he finished like a steam train under Oisin Murphy to a thrilling success.

He nearly followed it up in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket but found the drop to seven furlongs too sharp to see him get the better of Motakhayyel.

Career best efforts soon followed with a second in the Group Two Celebration Mile and Fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II, finishing just behind Palace Pier.

He was Disappointing on his second start this term at Longchamp, very soft ground probably wasn’t to his liking, but he bounced back in a big way at Royal Ascot in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes when a close third behind Palace Pier again.

Since then he was underwhelming in the Summer Mile at Ascot, but put in a good performance at Salisbury next time out behind the smart Megallan.

Mixing it at Group Two level after that he could only finish fourth of nine and then last time out back in Listed company he was no match for the winner back in third.

Opposable on recent form.

Pogo trailed home in sixth of the nine runners in the City Of York Stakes two starts ago behind the impressive Space Blues.

Wins have been hard to come by for Pogo having only tasted success in five of his 27 career outings.

A seasonal reappearance win looked impressive as a easily scalped Mums Tipple at Leicester in a Listed race but he’s since been out of form in high grade contests.

His most recent wins have come in listed or handicap company but with his rating being a lofty 110, he’s too good for handicaps but unlikely to be able to shoulder the penalty for Listed contests.

Having been poor in the City Of York Stakes and he then put up a better performance to finish third behind Benbatl at Goodwood.

However, Group races have exposed him for his quality and he’s probably going to find a few too good again at this kind of level.

Highly tried as a two year old for Marcus Tregoning, Perotto was churned out seven times as a juvenile and managed to record two successes last year.

Narrowly beaten by subsequent Jersey Stakes winner Creative Force on seasonal reappearance, a handicap win here at Goodwood was then followed up by a lethal performance in the Britannia Stakes at Ascot.

A mark of 99 seemed to underestimate him but he’s failed to make the transition up to group company since.

A mid pack finish in the Bunbury cup hinted that he’d been weighted out of handicaps and he’s been easily dispatched in Group and Listed races since then.

Likely to be wanting for quality again here.

The penultimate runner of the event is the Andrew Balding trained Queen Supreme who is one of the most unknown entities in the field coming to Balding from South Africa.

She makes her British debut in this event having been a very smart horse in South Africa landing a Grade One, but this looks a tough race to enter off the back off over eight months off.

Interesting runner with Ryan Moore booked

The final runner of the race is the Group One winner Accidental Agent, but with the gelding now being a seven year old he looks a different horse.

Having contested this year's Queen Anne and finishing a tame seventh, he then went to Sandown in a handicap event and only beat one home.

Next time out he got off the mark for the season winning well over course and distance in a handicap event, but since then up in class has struggles.

A lovely horse over the years, but looks past it now.