Al Qareem targets winning return to the Knavesmire

Karl Burke’s Al Qareem goes to York with a leading chance in the John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes.

The five-year-old was last seen finishing fifth when beaten four and a half lengths in the Group Two Grand Prix de Chantilly at the beginning of June.

The form from that race has worked out well, with third-placed Dubai Honour going on to win the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the fourth-placed Goliath then runner-up in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Prior to that, Al Qareem was fourth in the Yorkshire Cup behind Giavellotto, who was subsequently the winner of the Princess of Wales’s Stakes on his next start as the July Cup meeting got underway at Newmarket.

Earlier in the term, there were also some developments on the bay’s form from last season; as Bluestocking, who he beat to win the Stand Cup at Chester, landed the Group One Pretty Polly at the Curragh.

Israr, who he beat to win the Cumberland Lodge, took the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot and Hamish, who he was second to in both the St Simon Stakes last year and the John Porter this year, was the runner-up by just a length in the Group One Coronation Cup.

Those form lines all bode well for Al Qareem’s Group Three tilt, where he will be ridden by Sam James when returning to a one-mile-six-furlong trip at a track he has been successful around before.

“He ran in France last time, Cliff (Lee, jockey) said before the race, when he was down at the start, that he felt a little bit flat,” said Nick Bradley of owners Nick Bradley Racing.

“I still think the run was alright and I think the form has worked out well.

“He’s back at York, where he’s won before, the trip will be perfect, the ground will be perfect. I think he’s at the right grade and he should run a big race.

“The Bluestocking and Israr form works out well, Hamish has beaten him a couple of times but I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t run a huge race.”

Elsewhere in the race is William Haggas’ Klondike, a course and distance winner at York when taking the Listed Race To The Ebor Grand Cup on his last outing.

Salt Bay, who represents Ralph Beckett, was second behind him on that occasion and a close third behind Hamish and Al Qareem in the John Porter two runs prior to that.

Andrew Balding’s Alsakib, Simon and Ed Crisford’s Chesspiece, James Ferguson’s Deauville Legend, Tashkhan for Brian Ellison and outsider Wise Eagle complete the field.