Highest Ground looks to be reaching peak at last

THE Hardwicke Stakes looks likely to be a really competitive renewal this year, with bookmakers going 4-1 the field at the five-day stage.

If there wasn’t so much rain forecast I would be taking a chance on Sir Ron Priestley at a double-figure price as the pick of his form puts him right up there, notably his defeats after a long break of Ocean Wind at Nottingham and subsequent Coronation Cup winner Pyledriver at Newmarket.

He was below that form when only third in the Yorkshire Cup last time, but that came only a couple of weeks after Newmarket and he has had more of a break now.

The problem is the ground as his one disappointing run as a three-year-old came here on good to soft when he finished just 13th of 16 when well fancied for the King George V Handicap.

Instead it might be worth taking a chance on Highest

Ground finally living up to his potential in a race his trainer Sir Michael Stoute has won 11 times.

Highest Ground has long been expected to develop into a top-class middle-distance performer, but after going down by a neck in the Dante to Thunderous last July, he wasn’t seen until October when finishing well beaten dropped slightly in trip.

He wasn’t exactly eyecatching when only sixth of seven at Sandown on his return in April over 1m2f either, but he took a big step in the right direction upped to 1m4f for the first time at Leicester a couple of weeks ago, running out a comfortable winner from Outbox.

That form is obviously going to have to be improved upon, but Stoute has got him going in the right direction now and he could step up again.

The obvious one to beat is Al Aasy, who would doubtless be shorter than 9-2 if he hadn’t been beaten by Pyledriver at Epsom.

Whether trainer William Haggas wants to return him so soon is another matter, though, and he also has a worthy second string in Ilaraab, who was an ante-post odds-on shot for a race at York last weekend but was never likely to be declared on ground as fast as it was.

I’m not convinced Aidan O’Brien’s Broome warrants his place in the market and would prefer Japan even though he was disappointing behind Pyledriver and Al Aasy at Epsom.

Cases can also be made for Hukum and the deservedly popular filly Wonderful Tonight, the latter being arguably overpriced at around 10-1, so it is a really warm renewal, but I’m full of hope Stoute has finally found the key to Highest Ground.

Finally, I always like a little smash-up in the Queen Alexandra that closes the meeting and I reckon Falcon

Eight will be hard to beat. He appeared to win the Chester Cup with tons in hand under Frankie Dettori last month, and evidently stays very well.