Unbeaten Mahsoob kicks off Newmarket's July festival in Princess of Wales's

Unbeaten Mahsoob kicks off Newmarket's July festival in

Princess of Wales's

As Newmarket's July festival opens on Thursday, the name

on everyone's lips ahead of the Princess of Wales's S. (Eng-G2) is unbeaten four-year-old Mahsoob (Dansili).

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's

progressive colt has won fans with his no-nonsense consistency so far this term,

overcoming wide draws to win 10-furlong handicaps at Newbury on April 18 and York

on May 13

prior to taking the listed Wolferton H. at Royal Ascot over that trip last out

on June

20. On each occasion, the homebred looked in need of Thursday's extra 12-furlong distance and

connections are already looking ahead to taking on his stablemate Golden Horn (Cape

Cross) in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1) back at Ascot on July 25.

"I

think we're looking forward to seeing how he gets on at this level and over this trip. It

will be interesting," the owner-breeder's racing manager Angus Gold said.

"John (Gosden) has been very pleased with him since Ascot and tells me he came out of that race very well. Hopefully he can continue his upward

swing.

"The King George was an idea we had after the Wolferton, but John thinks the horse is very well and takes quite a lot of work, so it makes sense to try and let him win a pattern race and see how he goes over a mile and a half,"

Gold added.

Last year's Jockey Club S. (Eng-G2) and Yorkshire Cup (Eng-G2) winner Gospel Choir (Galileo) flies the flag for local favorites Cheveley Park Stud and Sir Michael Stoute,

and he was resolute in his winning return in the listed Fred Archer S. over this track and trip 12 days ago. His trainer is looking for a 10th renewal and also

relies on Sir Evelyn de Rothschild's Canadian International (Can-G1) hero Hillstar

(Danehill

Dancer), who was second in this 12 months ago and should strip fitter for his comeback

fifth in the June 20 Hardwicke S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot.

Also representing a leading Newmarket stable is Merry Fox Stud's Second Step

(Dalakhani), the Luca Cumani-trained four-year-old who

downed Telescope (Galileo) in the latest renewal of the Jockey Club S. (Eng-G2) on

the Rowley Mile May 2.

"Second Step is in good form; he has been working very well and we

are happy with him, but he is up against some decent horses on Thursday and has to carry

a three-pound penalty, so it will be difficult," Cumani said. "He hasn't run for

more than two months, simply because of the lack of suitable races.

"He improved a great

deal at the end of last year and I always thought that he could improve further as a

four-year-old. He's entered in the Irish St Leger, but I am not sure what will end up being his best

trip -- we are just taking it one race at a time."

Successful in the last three renewals of the July S. (Eng-G2), and in four of the last five, the Richard Hannon stable

(which is now run

by Jr.) is the first port of call ahead of Thursday's edition earlier on

Newmarket's card.

Double-handed this time with

Al Shaqab Racing's Eltezam (Kodiac) and Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar's

Orvar (Dandy Man), the operation has a strong hand, with the former the most

obvious contender after his latest third in Royal Ascot's Coventry S. (Eng-G2) last

out on June 16.

Eltezam is the hottest juvenile form on offer so far in Europe this year and Frankie Dettori has

chosen him over the same owner's Rowley Mile maiden scorer Shalaa (Invincible

Spirit). Orvar was sixth in the listed Windsor Castle S., also at the Royal meeting

on June

16, and has something to find on that form.

"Eltezam is a big colt and, though he ran a smashing

race to finish third in the Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, we feel that he has improved since,"

Hannon said. "He has strengthened and put on weight and, though Goodwood is definitely on the cards, the July S. is too good a race to pass by and the three-week gap is ideal.

"Orvar will need to step up on his sixth in the Windsor Castle S., but his 17 draw did him no favors there as all the action was far side and he did not get competitive until it was all over. The extra furlong will suit him."

Second to Eltezam in a May 28 Haydock maiden, Shadwell's Elronaq (Invincible Spirit) looked smart when going one better over this track and trip

on June 19 and rates a major threat.

"He's just had the two runs, running a very promising race first time before

winning his maiden well," Racing Manager Angus Gold said. "Hopefully he's come on again

from that and he is potentially a nice horse, I think."

Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah's Areen (Kodiac) and Godolphin's Steady Pace

(Dark Angel), the respective second and third in the Windsor Castle, re-oppose, with the former likely to start favorite.

The least exposed

in the line-up is the Ed Walker-trained Experto Crede (Exceed and Excel), who scored with authority on debut over this course and

six-furlong distance a fortnight ago.

"He's

very exciting. He was an expensive breeze-up colt and is a big, good-looking horse,"

Walker stated. "I think in time he'll be good enough. Whether it comes a bit early in

his career, time will tell and it's only two weeks after his debut. He's still possibly a

little bit on the weak side, but we think he's very smart and we're looking forward to seeing

him out. He had a lovely introduction and he just did it very naturally, so I think

there will be a lot of improvement."

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