Take Valentino to reverse Royal Ascot placings with Giant`s Causeway in the Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes at Goodwood tomorrow.
John Gosden`s three-year-old showed vastly improved form when beaten a head by Giant`s Causeway in the St James`s Palace Stakes, hitting the front inside the final furlong only to be run out it in the shadow of the post.
Gerald Mosse rode Valentino and he reported that the colt had looked about once in front.
The son of Nureyev was having only his fourth race that day and lack of experience could have been to blame.
He has not raced since whereas his Irish-trained rival has gained another hard-fought victory in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes and could now be feeling the effects of a tough campaign.
Medicean, who was three-quarters of a length behind Valentino in the St James`s Palace, also runs in tomorrow`s Group One but he has disappointed in a handicap since and may have been flattered by his proximity to the first two at the Royal meeting.
Ofthe older brigade last year`s winner Aljabr has not recaptured the level of form which saw him beat Docksider a length 12 months ago and a bigger danger could be Andre Fabre`s Dansili, a half-length second to Kalanisi in the Queen Anne Stakes last time.
Valentino missed out on a tempting engagement in France last week because of the very soft going at Chantilly but he will have his favoured fast ground at Goodwood.
Only lightly raced he remains open to further improvement and is made the nap selection to see off his Sussex Stakes rivals with most to fear from his old adversary Giant`s Causeway.
Earlier on the card Chianti can maintain his unbeaten record in the Champagne Lanson Vintage Stakes over seven furlongs.
John Dunlop`s promising juvenile has won his two starts so far in the style of a very good horse.
Both races were at York where he easily landed the odds in a nine-runner maiden race in June, beating Lost At Sea one and three-quarter lengths and back on the Knavesmire four weeks later he cruised home from just two rivals.
Chianti is open to considerable improvement and can land tomorrow`s Group Three contest on his way to even better things.
The Tote Gold Trophy Stakes is a wide-open contest and it could be worth taking a chance with Cracow to land this tough handicap.
The John Hills-trained three-year-old has not been seen out since he finished 14th of 15 behind Sinndar in the Vodafone Derby.
He was clearly out of his depth at Epsom, however, the handicapper has given him a chance tomorrow off a mark of 87.
Cracow`s only victory to date came in a Brighton maiden in May when he cruised home by two lengths from subsequent winner Gold Quest.
Although that form probably does not amount to much Cracow had previously run well when a two-length fourth to King`s Mill at Newmarket and when an unlucky-in-running third to Air Defence at Chester.
Cracow could represent good value at rewarding odds and is worth considering in tomorrow`s #70,000 contest.
