Rakti The One To Beat

Luca Cumani believes the enigmatic Rakti is the horse to beat in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

The Newmarket handler saddles recent Leicester winner Le Vie Dei Colori in the Group One feature, but is in no doubt the ante-post favourite is his biggest danger.

'Rakti is the horse to beat in this race - if the right Rakti turns up, then he is the winner, that´s for sure,' Cumani told At The Races.

However, the Italian-born Newmarket-based trainer is convinced that his charge deserves his place in the one-mile showpiece.

'I am happy with him - he deserves to be in the field, if he wins it is another matter, we will see on Saturday,' he said.

And the bookmakers agree, making the five-year-old second-favourite at a best-priced 5-1 behind the Michael Jarvis-trained Rakti, who is around 7-2.

Cumani added: 'It wasn´t a great contest at Leicester, but he was in need of a run and we hope he has come on a fair amount for that.

'He had to win it and he won it rather better than the bare result suggests, easing to the front quite quickly and idling his way home.'

? PA Sport