Dewhurst Stakes flop King's Best is out to restore his somewhat tarnished reputation at Newmarket tomorrow.
King's Best was sent off the 11-4 second favourite for the seven-furlong Group One contest last October on the strength of two impressive wins.
But he fought for his head off a slow pace in the early stages and managed only a short-lived challenge before finishing last of the five runners, beaten five and a half lengths behind Distant Music.
Sir Michael Stoute's colt is a 12-1 chance with Ladbrokes for the Sagitta 2000 Guineas despite that poor showing after encouraging reports from the Newmarket gallops and returns to action with Kieren Fallon on board in thehorsesmouth.co.uk Craven Stakes.
Stoute, who has already won this Group Three contest six times with Shadeed, Ajdal, Doyoun, Shaadi, Alnasr Alwasheek and Desert Story, is double-handed in the race this time as he also saddles Walter Swinburn's mount Adilabad, the winner of both his starts last season.
Rossini, two-and-a-half-length second to Distant Music in last year's Champagne Stakes, represents the powerful Aidan O'Brien team.
Ekraar, fourth in the Doncaster race, runs here for Marcus Tregoning and wears blinkers which brought about an improved effort from the colt when he finished third to Aristotle in the Racing Post Trophy.
Shamrock City, a good second to King's Best in the Acomb Stakes at York last August, renews rivalry tomorrow.
The six-runner line-up is completed by Umistim, who won three of his five starts as a juvenile including the Vodafone Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury on his final outing.
Earlier on the card the John Mowlem Feilden Stakes features several promising sorts including Stoute's Chinatown, fourth in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot in September, and the Henry Cecil-trained Western Summer.
The latter, who scored at Nottingham on his only start as a two-year-old, is held in high regard by Cecil.
David Elsworth runs his gelding Island Sound, who won two minor events last autumn, in the nine-furlong Listed contest.
