Who will find the golden highway in red-hot handicap? Analysis and key quotes for the Golden Gates

Admittedly last year's Golden Gates winner Missed The Cut (stall 13) essentially raced from stall nine of the 13 due to four low-drawn non-runners, but the previous two winners came from stalls 13 and 16. High numbers in the middle-distance races at Ascot are regularly favoured, and this race is already showing signs of emulating the trends associated with long-standing handicaps like the Duke of Edinburgh and King George V.

The usual suspects are out in force. Bookmakers are pricing the mounts of Ryan Moore (Canute) and Frankie Dettori (Knockbrex) typically defensively, although understandably so despite their bottom-half draws.

Aidan O'Brien's handicappers in Britain are always respected. The trainer's St James's Palace winner Paddington began his season in a handicap and Canute, a Quality Road colt out of the yard's Group 1 winner Alice Springs, looked well ahead of his mark at Navan 13 days ago. 

Knockbrex drops in distance having traded at a low of 1.57 in running to land a top 1m4f handicap at York last time having potentially gone for home too soon under Andrea Atzeni. Winner Chesspiece enhanced that form with a good third in the Queen's Vase on Wednesday, and Knockbrex is part of a strong Charlie Johnston challenge.

Johnston's other runner is Lion Of War, whose sire Roaring Lion's progeny have been running well at Ascot this week. Lion Of War (stall 17) did remarkably well to score at Musselburgh last time considering where he came from and a 4lb rise could prove lenient. 

Hollie Doyle: an eyecatching booking for Jim Bolger here

Jim Bolger's sole runner of the week at the meeting following Comhra's non-participation in the Coronation Stakes is handicap debutant Cuban Dawn (15). This 1m2f distance is exactly what he needs and the booking of Hollie Doyle is eyecatching.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Local Dynasty
He will enjoy being back on a sounder surface after encountering very soft ground at Chester. Stall 16 will make things a little tricky, but he should be a player.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Londoner and Canute
Canute won nicely at Navan and we think this is his best trip. Hopefully there is more to come from him. Londoner is coming here into a handicap on the back of a Derby trial and seems to be in good form at home.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum, owner of Laafi
He ran well to be fourth in the Lingfield Derby Trial and should enjoy the drop back in trip, but ideally he would have preferred more ease in the ground.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Ziryab and Obelix
Ziryab has matured with every run this year and shaped as if this step up in trip would suit him when scoring over a mile at Leicester last time. It’s a big field for such an inexperienced horse, but he is reasonably well drawn in stall 11 and hopefully can step up. Obelix improved through his two-year-old campaign and ran a decent race in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on his only start this year. He has since been gelded and should improve for the step up in trip on his first start in a handicap.

James Ferguson, trainer of Like A Tiger
He won in great fashion at Newmarket in April and has improved a lot since last year.

George Scott, trainer of Coco Jack
He’s coming off a career-best win at Musselburgh and this step up in trip should suit him on pedigree as he’s by Wings Of Eagles. He’s battle-hardened unlike some in the race and won’t be disgraced.

Oisin Murphy, rider of Lion Of War
Declan McDonogh won on him at Musselburgh last time in a valuable handicap and he looks to have the right profile for the race. The only drawback is a bad draw, but hopefully he can drop in.

Michael Bell, trainer of Burdett Road
He put up quite a tidy performance to score at Newbury last time, and from what we saw there we’ll be disappointed if he’s not at the business end in this.

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