Salisbury Preview: Yuften looks pure gold in Sovereign Stakes

Yuften looks a worthy favourite to exploit a drop in class and land the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury today (4.00).

The William Haggas trained colt looked a smart prospect when running out a seven length maiden winner on his return to action at Newamarket this season, and has since run two cracking races in Group 1 company.

The first of those came in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot where Yuften finished fifth of seven to the mighty Kingman.
The son of Invincible Spirit, who was sent of 66/1, raced in second place until the furlong marker until weakening in the final 150 yards to lose two places and be beaten 4 3/4 lengths.

Yuften then showed that to be no fluke in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly where he attempted to make all and only got reeled in late on to be beaten 1 1/4 lengths into second by Charm Spirit.

Although demoted to fourth place after a stewards’ enquiry, it was a top class performance and Yuften finished in front of some very useful types.

Those two runs have earned Yuften an official rating of 116, and that puts him 4lb and upwards clear of his rivals in this contest.

The three-year-old also receives a handy 7lb weight-for-age allowance now tackling his elders for the first time, and that is going to make Yuften very tough to beat now dropped significantly in grade.

In the 6f handicap (4.35), Tregereth can take advantage of a drop in the weights to land the contest for the second year running.

The Jonathan Portman trained filly has won just one of her 19 starts, with that success coming in this contest 12 months ago.

Tregereth stayed on well that day to beat beat Renoir’s Lady by a length off a mark off 56, and went on two run two solid racse to be placed off 57 and 58.

The daughter of Footstepsinthesand now gets into this off a career-low rating of 55, and that gives Tregereth major claims of staging a repeat success.

The booking of Oisin Murphy, who has a 22% strike rate when teaking up with the yard in the past 12 months, to partner Tregereth for the first time also catches the eye and suggests that connections mean business.