Kingman can rule in the Duel on the Downs

Today’s Sussex Stakes at Goodwood (3.05) features one of the season’s most eagerly awaited clashes with Europe’s best three-year-old miler Kingman taking on defending champion Toronado, and the former looks a worthy odds-on shot to emerge victorious.

The John Gosden trained colt has won six of his seven starts, with the sole defeat coming in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket when going down by just 1/2 a length to Night Of Thunder.

The son of Invincible Spirit went on to gain compensation with a facile five length success in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh, and then put in a breathtaking performance to land the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot when last seen in action.

Kingman was ridden with supreme confidence by James Doyke in the latter, and after making smooth headway on the outside two from home showed a devastating turn of foot to shoot clear 150 yards from the line and win easing down by 2 1/4 lengths from Night Of Thunder.

It was a performance which marked Kingman out as something really special, and it is going to take a monumental effort for Toronado to lower his colours.

The Richard Hannon trained four-year-old beat Dawn Approach in this race 12 months ago when quickening well to score with far more in hand than the 1/2 length winning margin suggests.

The son of High Chaparral was then clearly amiss when trailing in last behind Declaration Of War in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York, but looked right back to his best when making a winning reappearance in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Toronado is entitled to improve significantly for that run, his first for 300 days, but will have to if he is to conceded 8lb to such a high quality horse as Kingman.

The only advantage that Toronado does have is winning form over course and distance, but providing Kingman handles the track I cannot see him getting beat.

If you disagree with me, Coral are offering an enhanced price of 7/2 about Toronado for a limited time from 8.30am today.