Blair House beat the other Godolphin representatives Benbatl, Promising Run and Leshlaa to land the Jebel Hatta over track and trip earlier in the month. But runner-up Benbatl missed the break and was beaten less than a length despite having to race wide and it will be no surprise if he reverses the form. Ryan Moore prefers Breeders’ Cup Turf Mile runner-up Lancaster Bomber to War Decree while Monarchs Glen ended last year with a Group 3 success over today’s trip at Newmarket under Frankie Dettori. Trais Fluors is a Group 3 winner in France but Japanese raiders have won three of the last four renewals with Vivios and Real Steel successful in the last two. That pair are preferred to Crocosmia and not easily dismissed but both fell victim to NEOREALISM at home in Japan last year and Noriyuki Hori’s charge makes most appeal as he went on to win the Group 1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin.
Championship (IRE) 7-1 (9-0) 2nd of 10, 3/4l behind Janoobi (9-0) at Meydan 1m Grp 2 (1) gd in Feb.
Neorealism (JPN) (9-0) 3rd of 12, 3 3/4l behind Time Warp (9-0) at Sha Tin 1m 2f Grp 1 gd in Dec.
Promising Run (USA) 16-1 (8-9) 4th of 11, 1 3/4l behind Blair House (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 stks gd in Mar.
Trais Fluors (9-4) 2nd of 4, 3/4l behind Hunaina (8-8) at Chantilly 1m stks pol in Mar.
Benbatl Evensfav (9-0) 2nd of 11, 3/4l behind Blair House (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 stks gd in Mar.
Janoobi (SAF) 16-1 (9-0) 3rd of 11, 3/4l behind Blair House (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 stks gd in Mar.
Vivlos (JPN) (8-11) 8th of 2, 3 1/2l behind Win Bright (8-11) at Nakayama 1m 1f (1) in Feb.
Real Steel (JPN) (9-2) 4th of 1, at Tokyo 1m 2f (1) sft in Oct.
Monarchs Glen 7-2fav (8-13) Dwelt, keen, held up towards rear, switched right over 2f out, ridden and headway over 1f out, led inside final furlong, readily, won at Newmarket 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Oct beating Robin Of Navan (9-6) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
War Decree (USA) (8-11) 10th of 12, 7 1/2l behind Time Warp (9-0) at Sha Tin 1m 2f Grp 1 gd in Dec.
Crocosmia (JPN) (8-7) 8th of 10, 4 1/4l behind Clincher (8-9) at Kyoto 1m 3f in Feb.
Lancaster Bomber (USA) (8-13) 5th of 14, 3 1/4l behind Beauty Generation (9-0) at Sha Tin 1m Grp 1 gd in Dec.
Deirdre (JPN) (8-7) 6th of 10, 4l behind Clincher (8-9) at Kyoto 1m 3f in Feb.
Leshlaa (USA) 8-1 (9-0) last of 11, 11 3/4l behind Blair House (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 stks gd in Mar.
Blair House (IRE) 16-1 (9-0) won at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 stks gd in Mar beating Benbatl (9-0) by 3/4l, 11 ran.