William Haggas is optimistic Addeybb can continue his progression through the ranks and take a step up in class in his stride in the bet365 Mile at Sandown on Friday.
After running out an impressive winner of the Lincoln on his seasonal return at Doncaster, the four-year-old son of Pivotal, who holds top-level entries in the Lockinge and Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, tests Group Two waters for the first time.
Haggas said: “He seems very well. There is a bit of rain forecast, so the ground will be slow and that will suit him. It is a big step up in class, but we think he is ready to try something like this.
“I was impressed at the time when he won the Lincoln. I’ve seen it again and I was impressed again. He did it very well.
“This was the plan afterwards, but I put him in the Earl of Sefton as I was frightened it was going to dry up too much, but England hasn’t let me down so we are heading to Sandown.”
Andrew Balding is represented by Here Comes When, who shocked Ribchester when winning the Sussex Stakes last season.
Balding said: “He is in great form. Any more rain that falls will be to his advantage.
“He doesn’t seem to know that he is getting older.”
John Gosden hopes Sevanna Star can prove his 14-length success at Windsor was no flash in the pan by providing him with back-to-back victories in the be365 Classic Trial, having landed the mile-and-a-quarter race 12 months ago with Cunco.
The Newmarket handler said: “He is in good form and he took that race at Windsor very well the other day.
“We will see what the ground is, but if there is cut in it he will handle it. I’m not sure what he beat at Windsor.
“He had been pleasing us at home, but it is not normal to go ad win by 14 lengths.”
Chris Wall expects First Sitting to considerably build upon whatever he achieves in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes.
After finishing seventh in the 12-furlong contest last year, the son of Dansili went on to collect a Listed prize at Goodwood and a Group Three at Deauville.
Wall said: “We thought we might have run him in the Earl of Sefton last week, but the wet weather a couple of weeks before put us a little bit back with him.
“He has wintered well. He looks good, but is a bit hairy in places so he is probably not quite as forward as he was this time last year. But he has done his work and I’m happy with the way he is going.
“He is in good order, but like most years he will probably need a run or two to get himself tuned up, as he is a big horse.
“Hopefully he will give a good account and we can build a plan from there.”
Balding is represented by the former Roger Varian-trained Morando and said: “He has settled in fine. By all accounts he is not a brilliant work horse and you couldn’t necessarily tell he is a good horse from his work at home.
“The run should bring him on and we will go on from there.”