In a July Cup where there are plenty of obvious questions and not a lot of obvious answers, Rogue Lightning can give his backers a run for their money at huge odds on Saturday.
Much of the discussion around the prestigious 1200m sprint this year surrounds last year's 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech coming back in trip. He has been supplemented which suggests he is firing and ready to go, but it still seems quite an odd move.
He might just prove the best horse in the race, of course, but there are plenty of others with chances and Rogue Lightning is not out of it. His three-year-old campaign was a good one, and while he has not hit the heights since being sold for 1-million pounds, he has not been a million miles away, either.
On his penultimate start he was just denied in a Grade Two at Keeneland, before failing to produce the same level of form when staying Stateside to run at Churchill Downs.
A sound surface will suit and funnily enough he is a course and distance winner, having impressed on his two-year-old debut back in June 2022.
The day's banker strikes as Italy for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore in the bet365 Superlative Stakes.
A son of Wootton Bassett, he looked the part in beating Thesecretadversary at Leopardstown in May.
The qualifying conditions for the Chesham at Royal Ascot precluded Italy from taking his chance, but the runner-up was able to go there and duly ran a big race in second.
It is highly likely one or two in the bet365 Mile Handicap will prove capable of mixing it a higher level, chief among them Bedouin Prince for Charlie Appleby.
A winner at Doncaster on Lincoln day, he had little trouble in following up under a penalty on the Rowley Mile course at HQ.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to get away from More Thunder in the bet365 Bunbury Cup, despite the heartbreaking manner in which he was denied the Wokingham at the Royal meeting.
Finding himself with far too much to do, he came fast and a whisker too late.
On everything we have seen so far, this step up to 1400m can only suit.
Naqeeb appears to have gained some speed since joining Julie Camacho, so this drop back to 2000m for the John Smith's Cup looks a good move. Formerly trained by William Haggas, he even ran over 3400m in the Irish Cesarewitch last season, as well as the Ebor and Yorkshire Cup over 2800m.
Bought for the not insignificant sum of 170,000 pounds, he caught the eye on his stable debut when sixth at the Dante meeting and again at Haydock, on both occasions doing too much too soon over 2400m.
He ran a huge race at Royal Ascot in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, prominent throughout and yet again travelling strongly before finishing third to Ethical Diamond.
It seems the logical thing to do to drop in trip given how his races have been run this season and there looks to be less unexposed types than normal in this.
Al Qareem looks to have a very good chance of following up a recent course win in the John Smith's Silver Cup.
Karl Burke's consistent six-year-old was far too good for Absurde in a Listed race over course and distance and can add this Group Three to his record.
It is well worth a crack at the Listed City Walls Stakes with Jm Jungle for John and Sean Quinn.
The sprinter has been in rare form this season, finishing second to subsequent Group One winner American Affair twice before winning the Dash at Epsom. - Press Association
SELECTIONS:
ASCOT: Race 1 - 14.45 Anashhad, Race 2 - 15.22 Haatem, Race 3 - 15.57 Clockmaker, Race 4 - 16.30 Star Of Dubai, Race 5 - 17.10 Night Breeze, Race 6 - 17.50 Redorange, Race 7 - 18.20 Flag Of St George.
CHESTER: Race 1 - 17.20 Damascus Steel, Race 2 - 17.55 Rosenpur, Race 3 - 18.30 Annaf, Race 4 - 19.05 Musical Angel, Race 5 - 19.35 Rye, Race 6 - 20.10 Francesco Baracca.
DUNDALK: Race 1 - 14.20 Revoke, Race 2 - 14.52 Just Before, Race 3 - 15.27 De Boode, Race 4 - 16.02 El Bello, Race 5 - 16.35 Glencullen, Race 6 - 17.05 Game Point, Race 7 - 17.40 Janes Harbour, Race 8 - 18.15 Dancing Steve.
HAMILTON: Race 1 - 18.50 Stormy Pearl, Race 2 - 19.25 Utmost Respect, Race 3 - 20.00 Sacred Falls, Race 4 - 20.30 Ancient Myth, Race 5 - 21.00 A War Eagle, Race 6 - 21.30 Spring Festival, Race 7 - 22.00 Redondo.
LIMERICK: Race 1 - 14.32 No Alibi, Race 2 - 15.07 Spirit Of Eagles, Race 3 - 15.42 Marlborough Place, Race 4 - 16.17 Katie Ross, Race 5 - 16.52 Floresta, Race 6 - 17.25 Jurality, Race 7 - 18.00 Woodshaw Whisper.
NEWMARKET: Race 1 - 14.40 Dancing Flower, Race 2 - 15.12 Miss Nightfall, Race 3 - 15.50 More Thunder, Race 4 - 16.25 Bedouin Prince, Race 5 - 17.00 ITALY (NAP), Race 6 - 17.35 Rogue Lightning, Race 76 - 18.10 Claymore.
SALISBURY: Race 1 - 18.40 Little Miss Magic, Race 2 - 19.15 A Bit Of Spirit, Race 3 - 19.45 Swiss Lightning, Race 4 - 20.20 North Star, Race 5 - 20.50 Loving Look, Race 6 - 21.20 Shabu Shabu.
YORK: Race 1 - 15.00 Old Cock, Race 2 - 15.35 Jm Jungle, Race 3 - 16.10 Naqeeb, Race 4 - 16.45 Al Qareem, Race 5 - 17.15 Dacres Cross, Race 6 - 17.45 Curran, Race 7 - 18.25 Good Earth.