Rain key to Ancient Wisdom’s Newbury chances

Ancient Wisdom looks set for a return to Listed company in the Steventon Stakes at Newbury, UK, on Saturday, 19 July, providing the forecast rain arrives at the Berkshire course.

The son of Dubawi finished third on his sole previous Listed appearance in Ascot’s Pat Eddery Stakes in July, 2023, with his nine subsequent starts all coming in Group races including victory in the same season’s G1 Futurity Trophy.  

Ancient Wisdom failed to act on quicker ground at Newbury on his four-year-old return but bounced back to form with a half-length second in the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes.

He was pitched back into G1 company for the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on his latest outing, in which he faded to fifth.

Trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Ancient Wisdom has been gelded since his run in the Coronation Cup, and we feel that a mile and a quarter is probably his optimum trip these days. He wants plenty of cut underneath and would be an unlikely runner unless it’s genuine good to soft ground.”