The Group 3 Sovereign Stakes is one of the feature races of the year at Salisbury, and Wednesday’s race gives Oisin Murphy the chance to become the leading jockey in the race with victory on board Mighty Ulysses.
GG editor Dan Corbally guides us through all six runners before giving his expert verdict!
Runner-By-Runner Guide
1. REGAL REALITY
(Sir Michael Stoute/Richard Kingscote)
A proper bona fide Group 3 horse and as far as yardsticks go he’s incredibly solid. He was an intended runner at Ascot in the Summer Mile Stakes (Group 2) but was a non-runner owing to the ground, Good to Soft, which does raise an eyebrow slightly as he’s not only run well but also won on Soft going previously. With that in mind closes attention will need to be paid to the weather as he may prefer faster going now. This is a race he’s won previously, striking in 2020, and his latest run was a game usccess in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom. His regular partner, Ryan Moore, is unavailable today but Richard Kingscote has ridden him to success in the Winter Hill Stakes and he’ll know what to expect today.
2. CHICHESTER
(Charlie Johnston/Kevin Stott)
Another solid older horse, who unlike Regal Reality has cut his teeth mainly in handicaps on turf and all-weather. He’s up well short on both attempts at Group 3 level thus far, but his latest effort at this level was behind two proven Group 1 horses in Hukum & Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, so can likely be forgiven that attempt. On his latest run, his final for the Keith Dalgleish yard, he turned in a career best when scooting home in the Listed Ganton Stakes at York. On the back of that efforts he warrants respect on debut for the Charlie Johnston team, but the overriding feeling is that he may find or two too good for him today.
3. MIGHTY ULYSSES
(John & Thady Gosden/Oisin Murphy)
A very interesting profile for this colt, he’s threatened to be better than this level on more than one occasion. He finished fifth in the Group 1 St. James’ Palace Stake as a three-year-old before following that up with a comfortable success at Listed level, however they turned out to be the highlights of the season as he’s a bitterly disappointing favourite for a Group 3 at York thereafter. He had the tables turned on him in no uncertain fashion by the runner-up in the Listed race, Alflaila, in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York. He won’t be the first or last horse that didn’t take to York but he was extremely keen and was given nearly a year off afterwards. His return to action was somewhat lowkey, beaten 9 lengths in a Group 2 at Ascot, however given the quarters he hails from he’ll likely benefit massively from that and it’d be a folly to rule him out.
4. POGO
(Charles Hills/Rob Hornby)
Can be hard enough to catch correctly but has some very appealing form, winning some big handicaps in his younger days and indeed a couple of Group 3 & a Group 2 just last year. However, those wins did come over 7 furlongs and he does look somewhat of a specialist at that trip, where this mile, while he has won over this far, may just stretch him. He hasn’t set the world alight in his runs in 2023 but his latest attempt in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes was a major step back in the right direction. He’s entered again in the Hungerford Stakes & City Of Stakes this month, with both of those over his more optimum seven furlongs.
5. DANCING MAGIC
(Roger Teal/Tom Marquand)
The only maiden in the field which is a bit of anomaly as he’s shown himself more than cable at an above average level, finishing fourth in the Futurity Stakes as a two-year-old behind Auguste Rodin. He’s been in and out of form this season, running with credit in Hampton Court Stakes (8th of 16 beaten 4 lengths) either side of disappointing efforts in the Dante and The Listed Steventon Stakes. He has been keen in his runs so far this drop back by two-furlongs looks like it may suit, even more so if any more rain comes ( has shown he’s suited by ease underfoot) and if they go a true pace. Tom Marquand takes over for the first time today and that can only be viewed as a positive.
6. EMBESTO
(Roger Varian/David Egan)
The most unexposed colt in the field, having had only three starts, yielding two successes and a promising runner-up berth at Listed level behind the promising Nostrum. That winner has shown the form in a positive light since, running well at Group level and this colt may yet have more to come as his half-brother was a sharp improver with racing for Godolphin, earning a peak rating of 105. Any notable give underfoot would represent a question mark at this stage having only raced on Good & Good to Firm. He’s somewhat hard to weigh-up in the context of today’s race against some battle-hardened rivals but he brings a great deal of potential to the table for an in-form team.
Verdict
A wide open race as the market suggests with Embesto, Mighty Ulysses & Regal Reality all vying for favouritism, within a point of each-other at the time of writing. Embesto & Mighty Ulysses certainly have the potential to figure and represent top yards, while Regal Reality (second choice) has already proved he’s a potent force at this level. But the vote goes to DANCING MAGIC, who like Embesto & Mighty Ulysses arrives here with something to prove. But with the drop back in trip, a strong pace ensured by Pogo, and ground conditions likely to suit, he can outrun the outsider tag at double figure odds with Tom Marquand up for the first time.
SELECTION: DANCING MAGIC
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