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UK: Room at the top for Cityscape

Trainer Roger Charlton sees a chance for JLT Lockinge Stakes-bound Cityscape to establish himself as the champion miler this season.

With Frankel and Excelebration now retired, the Khalid Abdullah-owned seven-year-old has the opportunity to play a leading role in the big events at this trip.

Although Cityscape never quite recaptured the brilliance of his Dubai Duty Free win last March, he ran several fine races in defeat. Charlton is happy with his progress ahead of his seasonal reappearance at Newbury on Saturday.

The Beckhampton handler said: "It is challenging training a seven-year-old entire as some can get idle and lazy at home, and he's had his difficulties and issues along the way. It's been well documented that it hasn't been easy this winter, but he seems to have come to hand in the last few weeks.

"He certainly went exceptionally well fresh last year and he's been a remarkably consistent horse. He's run in seven countries and run up to form in each of them, with the odd exception. He has been frustratingly beaten on occasions, but he's always maintained his level of form.

"There is chance now in the mile division. For obvious reasons (same ownership) we had to avoid Frankel and we wouldn't have finished within many lengths of him, so we had to travel a lot which is tough, but he always ran his race. This year he should have a clearer run at things."

Silvestre de Sousa will replace Frankie Dettori on Farhh in the Group One showpiece, with the Italian no longer attached to Godolphin. Saeed bin Suroor's charge was something of a nearly horse last season, finishing second in four Group Ones, twice to Frankel.

Bin Suroor said: "Any rain will help him. Good ground is safe for him but he needs to run. Silvestre de Sousa will ride him, he rides him in a morning so knows him well. I've always really liked him but unfortunately he's not a sound horse, we need to look after him. If we can win a Group One with him then he can go off to stud as a stallion.

"We haven't had many runners this season as a lot of them were 100% for Dubai. It looks an open race and Cityscape looks the one to beat, but our horse is doing well and is a nice horse."

Aidan O'Brien's main representative is the progressive Declaration Of War, who looked impressive winning on his seasonal reappearance. Reply could also represent Ballydoyle. Sir Henry Cecil is responsible for the only filly in the race, Beauty Parlour. Richard Hannon has left in Trumpet Major and Libranno, while Fencing is John Gosden's sole entry. Aljamaaheer, Chil The Kite, German raider Amaron, Sovereign Debt and the globetrotting Penitent are the other possibles.


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