Charlton closes in on historic victory

Roger Charlton relies on Huntsmans Close as he shoots for a record-equalling fourth success in the Qatar Stewards' Cup at Goodwood.

John Scott and James Jewitt each won the race four times in the 1800s, but Charlton would be the first modern-day handler to complete the feat if Huntsmans Close can follow in the hoofprints of Harmonic Way (1999), Patavellian (2003) and Genki (2009).

Huntsmans Close won a competitive Windsor handicap last month but his previous visit to one of the big summer meetings ended badly as he got loose before the start of the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and was eventually withdrawn.

The five-year-old now sits on a mark of 102 and will break from stall 14 in the ever-competitive cavalry charge.

Charlton said: "Huntsmans Close is all set. He is in good order and his preparation has gone very well.

"It's hard to compare him with my previous winners as every horse is different, but his last few races have all been described as career bests.

"He has got to keep that sort of improvement going, which is always difficult, but he goes there with a chance.

"I'm happy with stall 14. Even numbers go in last which should help him after his trouble at Ascot.

"There's plenty of pace around him but I'm not sure it's that important unless you're a front-runner yourself, we can just go where the race develops and that will be up to George Baker.

"We can't say we were beaten by the draw, anyway, as we picked it.

"There's no such thing as a good thing in races like this, it is who is in the best form on the day, you need plenty of luck and he had none at Ascot."

Dean Ivory fields three as he seeks a first success in the race, with Group One performer Tropics topping the weights following his recent nose defeat at the hands of Muharaar in the July Cup.

He is joined by Lancelot Du Lac, who is joint second top-weight, while Firmdecisions is at the other end of the field having scraped in as number 28.

Tropics will break from stall seven, with Wokingham third Lancelot Du Lac in five and Firmdecisions on the other side of the track in 21.

Ivory said: "We're just going to have to see how the draw works out on the day. The way I look at it is if the horse is fit and well and handles the ground and you get the luck in running, you've got a good chance.

"I'd probably have preferred the three of them to have been spread out a bit more, but there's nothing we can do about it.

"A splash of rain wouldn't go amiss for Tropics. He seems in really good form. He has to give away the weight, but I think he can, if he gets the luck. You can give away weight, but you can't give away start.

"Lancelot Du Lac is a very good horse on his day and has a bit less weight than Tropics. He showed what he can do in the Wokingham.

"Firmdecisions will probably handle the ground the best out of all of them. He might be slightly out of his grade and might prefer seven furlongs and he isn't as good as Tropics, but at the same time he doesn't carry a lot of weight and has his chance."

The draw for the richly-endowed event was decided at a ceremony on Thursday and last year's sixth Discussiontofollow had first pick, with trainer Mike Murphy opting to go high again as he ran well from stall 23 last term.

"We were first out of the hat and went for stall 18 and at the moment, I'm happy with our choice," he said.

"We have a bit of flexibility from where we are and, looking at the draw, it looks as though the pace is going to be middle to high, although you never know for sure.

"We're happy with where we are, we're happy the ground is drying out - the quicker the better for him - and we're happy with the horse.

"It looks an open race, we've done all we can and we'll just have to leave it to the jockey and see what happens on the day."

Gamesome claimed a creditable sixth place in the Wokingham and while he was only eighth behind Huntsmans Close last time, trainer Olly Stevens holds him in the highest regard.

He said: "We've always thought a lot of him ever since he won his maiden but he got a mark of 98 for doing that and that has made life tough for him ever since.

"He's still highly regarded and has been very consistent without winning, he just needs some luck.

"It was either run in this or step up in class for Listed and Group races, but we've seen in recent years there's very little between the top sprinters. It's a strong Stewards' Cup, the top weight has been second in two Group Ones.

"At the start of the year it was all about two races for him and how we got there.

"We're in the middle third of the track and I'm happy with 11 because stalls come in blocks of 10 so we have an empty stall effectively next to us which, given he has been bumped into on leaving the stalls before, is handy."

Tom Dascombe is hoping stall 27 can prove lucky for Barracuda Boy after chasing home Justineo in a Newmarket conditions event on his most recent outing.

"We're not exactly where I wanted to be but we didn't have much choice left, it was either very low or very high," said the handler.

"The owner's lucky number is 27 so we had to go for that.

"He'll like the ground and the trip and ran well last time out. Whether he can win one of these, I have my doubts, but he's there to take his chance."

Mick Appleby is another handler who is not convinced about his charge's draw, with Poyle Vinnie in stall four.

The five-year-old is one of a handful of runners who will be shouldering a penalty after he won the Scottish Stewards' Cup at Hamilton earlier this month.

Appleby said: "I think he goes there with a good chance. I'd have preferred a better draw, but when you're second-last out of the hat you don't have much choice.

"He pulled out of Hamilton well and I've been happy with him since. I'd like a bit more rain, but I don't think the ground is a massive thing. He ran pretty well at York the time before and the ground was quite quick that day. I'm hoping for a big run."