Asfoora© Photo Healy Racing
Royal Ascot rivals Asfoora, Big Evs and Believing are set for a mouthwatering Goodwood rematch after featuring among 15 confirmations for Friday’s King George Qatar Stakes.
Australian raider Asfoora took top honours in the King Charles III Stakes last month, with Big Evs picking up a bronze medal for third and Believing back in fourth.
However, having seen their charge lead until the closing stages, connections of Big Evs will be eyeing revenge at this sharper track, where he won last year’s Molecomb Stakes.
Mick Appleby said: “He’s in good order, we’re really pleased with him and he’s all set for Goodwood.
“It’ll be a tough race, but I can say that he’s in very good form.
“When he won there last year, it had gone pretty soft, but I think he’s better on quicker ground.
“He’s turned out to be pretty versatile, but quicker is probably better for him.”
Big Evs and Asfoora have been kept back for this Group Two contest, but Believing backed up at Royal Ascot with fourth place in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and then claimed a Sapphire Stakes success at the Curragh, where Makarova was third.
Temple Stakes winner Kerdos was fifth in the King Charles III Stakes and is also set to renew rivalry with those in front of him.
Commonwealth Cup third and July Cup sixth Jasour is set to drop down to the minimum trip after being supplemented, with Clive Cox’s three-year-old having taken a keen hold early on in both of those six-furlong Group One events.
Ralph Beckett’s Starlust could also represent the Classic generation after landing the Listed-class City Walls Stakes ahead of Rogue Lightning at York last time out.
Last season’s Nunthorpe hero Live In The Dream will have a change of jockey, with Jason Hart replacing Sean Kirrane on Adam West’s speedster.
Ponntos is a possible raider for Czech Republic trainer Miroslav Nieslanik, with the six-year-old completing a hat-trick on the continent when making all in Group Two company at Chantilly on his most recent outing.
