Military Order heads duo in G3 Winter Hill Stakes

Military Order looks to follow up a strong recent performance in the G3 Winter Hill Stakes, with one-time Derby contender Devil’s Advocate also lining up in the biggest race of Windsor’s season on Saturday, 23 August.

Five-year-old Military Order boasts a strong profile on the all-weather for Charlie Appleby, notably winning the 2024 G3 Winter Derby and a pair of Listed races. The full-brother to Adayar ran an excellent race on turf earlier this month, going down by a neck to Royal Dubai in the G3 Rose Of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock Park.

Devil’s Advocate was an easy all-weather winner at Chelmsford at the end of last season and ran a creditable race to take fourth in the G2 Dante Stakes at York in April. The son of Too Darn Hot returns from a break for John & Thady Gosden, having been gelded after trailing home last in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

Arabian Crown also seeks a return to form in the Listed August Stakes on the same card, with the Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old having failed to beat a rival in the G3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood at the start of the month.

An easy winner of Sandown Park’s G3 Classic Trial at the start of last season, the son of Dubawi was forced to miss the rest of his three-year-old campaign through injury.

Charlie Appleby said: “Military Order lost little in defeat at Haydock and has put up a couple of solid efforts on his last two starts. If he runs up to the same level of form, he will be the one to beat.

“We are hoping to rekindle some of Arabian Crown’s old form. He came out of Goodwood well enough, although we are trying to find the key to him at the moment.”