This years's edition looks truly a fantastic renewal of the St James Palace Stakes. Throw away the rest of the field, this race will be rightfully decided among the 4 market leaders Magical, Waldgeist, Sea of Class and Crystal Ocean. All are top-class middle distance performers that are closely matched on paper.
The ones with the superstar potential are the fillies Magical and Sea of Class. Both have come under the sword of the mighty Enable last year, albeit with their reputations enhanced. In fact, not many would argue about them reversing placings with the dual Arc winner should they cross paths again. Magical has already won 3 times this year already although it must be said the best she beat was stablemate Flag of Honour on all these occasions. The runner-up is certainly far from the best of the breed from the Ballydoyle contingent. So, asterix there may be on those wins. Still, Magical is among la creme de la creme of the staying division and should be thereabouts.
Sea of Class will make seasonal return in the race and she might be lacking in fitness in comparison to her opponents. Certainly she will come on for the run. If she has maintained or improved her form of last year, she will definitely be a major player in this race and later. I just feel this race might just be too hot for her for a first time out but she cannot be dismissed as her class can make up for the lack of being wound up.
Crystal Ocean hardly ever runs a bad race and is sure to give his all even though he might be sub-par talent-wise compared to the fillies. If everyone else is having a bad day, this son of Sea The Stars will pick up the pieces with no qualms.
Waldgeist is among the best stayers in France and needs to translate that over this side of the pond. He won with great authority on his seasonal return and his trainer Andre Fabre does not usually send them across unless they have a winning chance.
What could decide this race are the conditions afoot on Wednesday. The forecast rain will appeal to Waldgeist and to a lesser degree Magical. The dryer it is, the better for the other two. So this is a game time decision really. Look at the going stick or penetrometer reading as the rest of the racing world likes to say. With a soft going, I will go with Magical over Waldgeist. On good ground, I like the form fit Magical over Sea of Class.
Win: Magical
The ones with the superstar potential are the fillies Magical and Sea of Class. Both have come under the sword of the mighty Enable last year, albeit with their reputations enhanced. In fact, not many would argue about them reversing placings with the dual Arc winner should they cross paths again. Magical has already won 3 times this year already although it must be said the best she beat was stablemate Flag of Honour on all these occasions. The runner-up is certainly far from the best of the breed from the Ballydoyle contingent. So, asterix there may be on those wins. Still, Magical is among la creme de la creme of the staying division and should be thereabouts.
Sea of Class will make seasonal return in the race and she might be lacking in fitness in comparison to her opponents. Certainly she will come on for the run. If she has maintained or improved her form of last year, she will definitely be a major player in this race and later. I just feel this race might just be too hot for her for a first time out but she cannot be dismissed as her class can make up for the lack of being wound up.
Crystal Ocean hardly ever runs a bad race and is sure to give his all even though he might be sub-par talent-wise compared to the fillies. If everyone else is having a bad day, this son of Sea The Stars will pick up the pieces with no qualms.
Waldgeist is among the best stayers in France and needs to translate that over this side of the pond. He won with great authority on his seasonal return and his trainer Andre Fabre does not usually send them across unless they have a winning chance.
What could decide this race are the conditions afoot on Wednesday. The forecast rain will appeal to Waldgeist and to a lesser degree Magical. The dryer it is, the better for the other two. So this is a game time decision really. Look at the going stick or penetrometer reading as the rest of the racing world likes to say. With a soft going, I will go with Magical over Waldgeist. On good ground, I like the form fit Magical over Sea of Class.
Win: Magical
