Virgin Bet Solario Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Kingman, Masar and Too Darn Hot have all used the Virgin Bet Solario Stakes as a stepping stone to Group One glory in the past decade.

That exalted trio were all winners of the seven-furlong contest, but it can also pay to keep a close eye on the supporting acts.

Desert Hero, third last year, is a leading contender for this year’s St Leger, while Kameko was beaten a nose in the 2019 renewal before landing the 2000 Guineas in a record time. Romanised, runner-up in 2017, also went on to win at the highest level.

Clearly, this is a race that demands close attention. Here’s a guide to the final field of six plus a prediction as to where each will finish.

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Timeform rating: 99p. Best odds: 7-2.

Charlie Appleby landed this with Masar, his subsequent Derby winner, in 2017 and struck with Silver Knott last year. In between, Al Suhail also went close for him in the 2019 edition. He has a 28 per cent strike rate with his two-year-olds this year (18 wins from 65 runners) and Aablan makes as much appeal as any of these on pedigree, being by Dubawi and the first foal of the smart Promising Run. He went off 4-7 to win on his debut at Newmarket a month ago and delivered in workmanlike style. The runner-up has since been turned over at short odds but the third, Magsood, looks smart and it’s probably no coincidence that Appleby had also won the previous three renewals of that maiden with classy performers, none rated below 103 and including the top-class Modern Games. Aablan seems sure to progress and he has to be on any shortlist.

Trainer: David O'Meara. Timeform rating: 96p. Odds: 10-1.

He’s won his first two starts, modestly run contests at Hamilton and Ayr, despite flirting with defeat each time. The form does not add up to much and the horse he beat by three quarters of a length last time, Individualism, has since been thumped by Mortlake, who he will bump into here. His opening mark of 87 looks stiff and, even if he’s able to live up to it, he’s probably got to find at least a stone more improvement to figure.

Trainer: David Menuisier. Timeform rating: 96p. Odds: 5-1.

Devil’s Point changed hands for 475,000gns as a yearling and built on a promising debut at Sandown – finished a close fifth behind Starlore after briefly getting tapped for toe – when winning easily in the mud at Ffos Las last time. Given he’s by New Bay out of a Pivotal mare, there must be a chance that he will always be seen to best advantage when there is some give in the ground. It’s too early to be making such judgements, though, and the bottom line is that he’s a promising colt capable of better.

Trainer: Brian Meehan. Timeform rating: 101. Odds: 20-1.

He had Magsood behind when losing his maiden tag at Kempton in late June (that horse ties in with Aablan) but his three starts on turf have all ended in defeat, including off a mark of 87 at York last week, albeit in a highly competitive 20-runner affair. He won’t fail through lack of experience but it will be a surprise if he is good enough.

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Timeform rating: 104p. Odds: 11-4.

The Churchill colt was unfancied and clueless when well held on his debut at Salisbury but it was a completely different story at Leicester last time when he was swiftly into stride and a commanding winner. I’m not sure he beat very much but he won in a record time and Ralph Beckett, who owns a chunk of him, was complimentary afterwards. Beckett’s horses are in such fabulous form that anything he runs commands respect.

Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute. Timeform rating: 103p. Odds: 5-2.

The Solario has eluded ten-time champion trainer Sir Michael Stoute but many will fancy Starlore to plug that gap on his decorated CV after his debut win over course and distance in July. Few of the trainer’s juveniles are revved up for their debuts but the son of Kingman looked like winning with authority entering the final furlong only to end up clinging on by a nose from Maximum Dividend. It looked a case of him getting first run on the opposition, rather than idling, with his final furlong being a pedestrian 13.14sec. The runner-up has since been a beaten favourite at Newbury but the third, Arabian Crown, who was a bit green on the day, has gone on to win a Listed prize and Devils Point (fifth, and reopposes) has also won. With his form franked and improvement on the cards, it’s hardly surprising that the Juddmonte colt heads the betting. However, he won’t go off as short as Kingman, his sire, who won this at 2-7 after a runaway debut win.

Aablan got the job done when all the rage on his debut at Newmarket and it's surely a tip in itself that Charlie Appleby, who seems to target this race and would not have been short of candidates, has chosen him to represent the yard. Starlore had Devil's Point behind when winning at Sandown on his debut and rates an obvious threat.

1 AABLAN. 2 STARLORE. 3 MORTLAKE. 4 DEVIL'S POINT. 5 INISHFALLEN. 6 CERULEAN BAY.