STRATUM is a worthy favourite for the all-new JLT Cup at Newbury this afternoon. Willie Mullins’ horse did well in the circumstances to finish third behind his stable companion Lagostovegas in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

Well back in the field early on that day behind a relatively sedate pace, he had to go wide down the side of the track and, still only 13th or 14th as they turned for home, he stayed on strongly on the outside to get up for third place.

That was his first run on the flat for Willie Mullins after three runs over hurdles since he joined the champion Irish National Hunt trainer from John Gosden’s. The handicapper raised him by just 2lbs for his Royal Ascot run, to a mark of 94, which was not harsh, and the suspicion remains that he is a well-handicapped horse on the flat.

That said, he is short for today’s race, and Sir Chauvelin may represent better value at 18/1 or 20/1.

Jim Goldie’s horse was another who didn’t have a lot of luck in-running at Royal Ascot. Held up out the back in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, he stayed on strongly from the rear up the home straight to get up and take second place behind Dash Of Spice.

That was another race in which the prominent racers were probably favoured. They didn’t go a great pace and the three other horses who, with him, filled the first four places were in the first five as they turned for home.

Sir Chauvelin has run twice since Royal Ascot. On his next run, he ran a cracker to finish third in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. Again held up that day, as is his wont, he stayed on strongly from the three-furlong marker to get up for third place.

It never looked like he was going to get to the impressive winner Withhold, who is classy and who led all the way, but it was a fine run to take third place behind him.

He was well beaten last Saturday in the John Smith’s Cup, but you can easily allow him that run. Again, it was a race in which the winner made all, and the race was never going to suit a hold-up horse like Sir Chauvelin. Also, that was over 10 furlongs. He should be much happier back over two miles today.

A strong pace suits his style of racing and, while he didn’t get that at Ascot or at Newcastle, you have to hope that, with 18 runners at Newbury, and with front-runners Stars Over The Sea and Hochfield in the race, they will go a decent pace. He could improve significantly on his good recent form if he gets a strong pace at which to run.

He has never run at Newbury, but he goes well at Musselburgh, which is a flat galloping track like Newbury, for all that it is right-handed as opposed to left-handed. Also, it is interesting that Jim Goldie has booked George Downing, who doesn’t ride for the trainer very often, but who rode a big-price double for him at Ayr on Monday.

HACKWOOD

The three-year-old Equilateral dominates the market for the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes. He was impressive in beating the recently significantly improved Foxtrot Lady at Doncaster in May, and he was well fancied for the Commonwealth Cup on the back of that run.

He was well beaten at Royal Ascot, his run was too bad to be true and he reportedly scoped poorly afterwards. You can forgive him that run.

However, he has to prove himself again now, and the three-year-olds tend to struggle in this race. There has been just one three-year-old winner in the last decade.

Projection is interesting, he ran a cracker in the Diamond Jubilee last time to finish fifth behind Merchant Navy, beaten just over two lengths by the winner. Bacchus is also interesting on the back of his Wokingham victory from Dreamfield, who didn’t run badly in the July Cup last Saturday.

However, Dream Of Dreams is more interesting at a bigger price. Sir Michael Stoute’s horse had no luck in-running at Sandown last time. He travelled well through his race against the far rail, it looked like he would be a big threat to Judicial and Muthmir, but he just couldn’t get any racing room until it was too late.

He proved that day that he could travel at five-furlong pace on fast ground. His best form last year was over six furlongs, so this relatively easy six furlongs could be ideal. He improved throughout last season, his first season with Sir Michael Stoute, and he has plenty of scope to progress through this season too. He is nicely drawn in stall two on the far side, in among pace horses Yafta and Mythmaker and Hey Jonesy, and he could out-run his odds.

RECOMMENDED

SIR CHAUVELIN 1 point each-way, 18/1 (generally)

DREAM OF DREAMS 1 point win, 12/1 (generally)