There is a real treat for racing fans this Thursday evening with Brigadier Gerard Stakes taking place at Sandown Park.
The Group 3 contest is perhaps the best evening race of the summer and there are five declared for the 1m2f affair. A small but select field for a key early season clash with bigger and better things on the horizon and the small matter of Royal Ascot now just a few short weeks away.
Recent winners of the Brigadier Gerard include Derby winner Workforce and Carlton House who gave the Queen victory back in 2011 at the Esher venue.
The fixture, which will be live on ITV4, is always one of the highlights each May and is the starter course ahead of a ten-day period which will also take in the two Guineas races in Ireland, followed by the Derby at Epsom a week on Saturday.
First though, we have a cracking little Brigadier Gerard to sink our teeth into with five going to post…
1. Air Pilot
The outsider of five and not helped by 5lb penalty on his back for Ralph Beckett. A Group 3 and a Group 2 win in France not to be sniffed at but flopped in a Group 1 last time out at Longchamp and likely to find this another big ask.
2. Desert Encounter
An experienced and solid Group 3 winner who has tended to come up short in deep races for David Simcock. Well beaten at Meydan on only start this season and asking a lot to turn around the form with Poet’s Word on that evidence.
3. Fabricate
Ran a stormer over course and distance last month when 2nd in the Gordon Richards Stakes and would be a popular royal winner for Michael Bell. Only beaten a shoulder that day in Group 3 company so clearly has major claims of going one better assuming he has come on for the run. Hard to see out of the frame.
4. Laraaib
A highly unexposed winner of three of his four races in 2017 and comes to this race as the joker in the pack for Owen Burrows and Jim Crowley. A big ask on seasonal debut and will need to have improved over the winter but interesting to see him in this deep given his inexperience and could perform above above expectation.
5. Poet's Word
Sets the standard having finished runner-up in three Group 1 races in his last four starts, including when behind Hawkbill at Meydan in March in the Dubai Sheema Classic. Rarely runs a bad race and goes for Sir Michael Stoute who is looking to win the Brigadier Gerard for a stunning 10th time. The one to beat.
A small field for the Brigadier Gerard this year but it could still be a cracking renewal on Thursday evening. Poet's Word looks the one to beat and should be too strong but Fabricate has course and distance form in the book and should be able to make it an exciting race.
