The generation game

13 April 2012

Newbury plays host to the continuing battle of the generations tomorrow when the old guard, led by Millenary in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes and Arkadian Hero in the Hungerford Stakes, clash with the likes of Mr Combustible and Tamburlaine from this year's classic crop.

Persistent showers forecast tomorrow on watered good to firm ground at the Berkshire course complicate matters, but both Stan Jamessponsored contests can provide valuable insights to the relative worth of our three-year-olds. Galileo and Noverre have flown their flag high to date, but Medicean has kept the elders' end up.

Millenary won last year's St Leger, proving that contest isn't for slowboats with previous victories in the Chester Vase and Gordon Stakes and subsequent success in this season's Jockey Club Stakes, trouncing Sandmason who went on to win Royal Ascot's Hardwicke Stakes.

This John Dunlop-trained colt then disappointed in Epsom's Coronation Cup, but patently failed to handle that notorious track and was back to his best when six lengths fifth to Galileo in this year's King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

Rousted along from the rear, Millenary got within two lengths of Galileo at the head of the straight but was then unable to sustain his acceleration. Still, he finished eight lengths clear of stablemate Golden Snake, now retired through injury.

A strict line through King George fourth, Storming Home, gives Mr Combustible the beating of Millenary on tomorrow's terms. Pat Eddery's mount concedes 17lb to the former through weight-for-age scale - which many believe favours the younger horse at this time of year - and a 6lb penalty for his Group One win.

But it's likely Storming Home is now a muchimproved horse to the one that chased home Galileo in fifth in the Derby, with stablemate Mr Combustible half a length ahead in fourth. He was also unsuited by the steadyish pace Mr Combustible helped dictate at Epsom and then hampered by third-placed Tobougg.

His Lambourn trainer Barry Hills is ideally placed to compare that colt and Mr Combustible's developing merit, so it's significant he does not flinch from this encounter with Millenary.

Both style of running and pedigree suggest Mr Combustible will stay this longer trip and he benefits from a short break since his below-par Irish Derby sixth. But he needs to have improved as much as Storming Home to beat Millenary here. Both prefer fast ground, but Millenary may hold his form better on rain-softened going.

Progressive St Expedit remains headstrong and won't be able to dominate against front-runners like Mr Combustible, Courteous and Yavana's Pace. But the last two, Holding Court and Little Rock need more rain than they're likely to get. Dalampour is intractable, so Marienbard is the main threat to the leading duo.

The Hungerford Stakes was won last year by Arkadian Hero - this six-year-old finds seven furlongs ideal, runs well here and bounced back to form with third to Medicean in the Queen Anne Stakes.

But in Misraah he meets a formidable opponent unburdened by the 3lb penalty he must carry for previous successes at this level. Any rain would also detract from the chances of Luca Cumani's challenger.

Misraah is strictly held by Tillerman on several formlines, including when the latter finished one place ahead in third in last month's Tote International. But the selection's trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, is adept at finding huge improvement in older horses and Misraah has hit a rich vein in his last three starts. He was unfavoured by the draw at Ascot and, with Tillerman likely to struggle for cover in this field , Misraah can gain his first Group win.

Warningford, in the form of his life aged seven, is the main danger.

Selections - Geoffrey Freer Stakes: 1, Millenary; 2, Mr Combustible; 3, Marienbard; Hungerford Stakes: 1, Misraah; 2, Warningford; 3, Arkadian Hero.

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