'He always looked one with potential' - Pandemonium could break out in Horris Hill Pandemonium is defending the only unbeaten record in the BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury on Saturday when he lines up for Simon and Ed Crisford. The father and son team won the Group Three in 2022 with Knight, who did so on just his second outing. Pandemonium, however, has already won at Yarmouth and at Redcar, the latter under a penalty. Ed Crisford said of the Group Three test: “He’s progressing nicely. “We know he goes on the ground which is a bonus and while it is a step up for him, he deserves a crack at this sort of level. “He has progressed throughout the summer. He’s a lovely looking horse and we thought he would run a nice first race, but he did that well and improved again when he won on his second start. “He always looked one with potential and fingers crossed so far he is doing it.” The best pedigree on show in the race is Richard Fahey’s Arabian Desert, by Frankel out of the Clive Brittain-trained filly Rizeena, a Group One winner at two and three. Having looked green on debut, the youngster – who runs in the same colours as the yard’s 200-1 Champions Day winner Powerful Glory – then went close in what appeared a hot maiden at York. Fahey said: “He’s going to have to step up on what he’s shown so far, but we do really like the horse. “Fingers crossed he will be OK on the ground, but we’ve been very happy with him so far and hopefully he runs well.” Charlie Appleby’s Time To Turn brings the highest rating into the race having won a Listed race at Ascot before he was outclassed in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere last time out. “The Lagardere was a bit of a headscratcher – Time To Turn looked as though he was going to come with a run and then he weakened out of it. He bounced out of the race in good form and conditions should suit,” Appleby told www.godolphin.com. In the BetVictor St Simon Stakes William Haggas’ two veterans Al Aasy and Hamish face off, with Appleby’s Ancient Wisdom another noteable runner. Appleby said: “Ancient Wisdom loves soft ground, and it looked at Goodwood as though the step back up to a mile and a half would suit. It is a tight race, with a few others who will also enjoy conditions, but he goes there in great nick.” The Crisfords are represented by Sea Scout, who ran in the Derby in June and went close in France last time out. Ed Crisford said: “He ran a really good race last time in France, he probably just kicked for home a little bit early which maybe just found him out in the last half a furlong. “He’s a nice, solid horse, but it’s a competitive race. Last time he showed that he goes on the ground. This will be his last run of the year, but if he can run a nice race and improve a bit, we hope he turns into a nice four-year-old.”
