We’ve got eight declared runners on Thursday, starting with three in the King George V Stakes which is always a hotly contested handicap.
Taking them in racecard order, GOING THE DISTANCE had the distinction of being our only winner in April, making it three victories from just four starts after a successful juvenile campaign. That was at Kempton over 1m3f and he’ll appreciate the extra furlong here. There’s been no need to run him again because of his mark and his recent work has been good.
CITY BURGLAR won on handicap debut last autumn and returned with a close second under top-weight upped to 1m2f at Ascot last month. That was an ideal prep for this and he’ll also benefit from the longer trip, being from a top-class middle-distance family.
This has long been the plan for PONIROS, who took a significant step towards it when runner-up in a typically strong renewal of the London Gold Cup at Newbury last time. The fourth duly gave the form a boost by winning decisively at Epsom on Derby Day. Again there should be no stamina concerns moving up in distance.

On to the Ribblesdale, we have one runner. 
YOU GOT TO ME fared better at Epsom, finishing fourth and confirming the form of her Lingfield Oaks Trial success. She’ll prefer the faster ground here and I like the way she’s been training for this considering the Oaks took a lot out of her - she’s bounced back well after a short break.
The Britannia is another big-field handicap in which we’re three-handed. Bookmakers have QIRAT as one of the favourites and it’s not hard to see why after his stylish reappearance win at Goodwood. That was a proper effort from off the pace, especially as he had to wait for a gap, and this half-brother to Bluestocking (our Group 2-winning Irish Oaks second) promises to be even better over this extra furlong.
KINGS GAMBLE has top-weight by virtue of his Gimcrack third last season. He looked ring-rusty on his recent reappearance at Doncaster and I’m sure he’ll improve from that. His class could carry him a long way in a race that I think will suit him.
SAFWAN is a recent recruit from France where he won twice, most recently over 1m1f in very soft ground. However he’s got a fast-ground action and the speed to be competitive off the mark he’s been given.

Friday’s team kicks off with STARLUST in the Commonwealth Cup. Although he went off favourite, he surprised me with the ease of his win dropped back to five furlongs and taking on older horses in a quality handicap at York last time. This is a big leap in grade back up to six furlongs, so we’re putting first-time blinkers on him as he has a tendency to lose concentration, which he can’t afford to do in this exalted company.

SKELLET has the potential to outrun huge odds in the Coronation Stakes. She got pushed around early in the Irish Guineas which left her a bit far back when the race began in earnest. She’s come on for that first outing since being pipped by subsequent Oaks second Dance Sequence at Newmarket last autumn.

We have two candidates for the Sandringham, a three-year-old fillies’ handicap, in which INDELIBLE is a clear favourite after winning a strong-looking Doncaster novice over this trip of a mile on her reappearance, giving weight to well-regarded colts. She’s superbly bred and still holds Group 1 entries, so the chance to run in a prestigious handicap off an opening mark of 91 is too good to resist.

FOREVER BLUE, a debut maiden winner in heavy conditions at Haydock last summer, didn’t live up to expectations in a Group 3 at Goodwood next time, but scored impressively under a penalty in a novice event on good ground at Haydock a fortnight ago. She’s since been bought by Wathnan Racing, which has to be a positive, and I expect her to be competitive off 95 going up in trip.

MACDUFF takes a drop in grade for the King Edward VII after disappointing in the Derby. He had a valid excuse at Epsom in that he got upset in the stalls and was then side-swiped soon after the start, so never got competitive. He’s pleased me enough recently to let him take his chance.

Our final intended runner of the day is MATTERS MOST, who ran a great race when narrowly beaten on seasonal debut at Windsor early this month, conceding a stone to the winner. The drop back to five furlongs in a likely fast-run contest looks the right move.