The John Porter Stakes over a mile and a half is an early season test for some of the better staying types and with some decent if not quite top-class winners over the years. Ralph Beckett and Sir Michael Stoute are the only trainers to win this more than once in the last 10 years (twice each, to be exact), while only two favourites have come home in front in the same timescale, with 18/1 shot Grand Alliance winning last year to the bookies’ delight.
Nine of the last 10 winners were aged four or five which rules out five of this field (assuming that run continues), leaving me with only five to choose from – and a little confusion with William Buick on board 10/1 chance Chesspiece for the Crisfords despite fellow Godolphin challenger King Of Conquest trading much shorter at 9/2 (at the time of writing – interesting.
Both could go well, but the hope is that Arrest has improved from three to four in which case he will be a force to reckon with this season over middle distances. A winner at Chester (taking the Group Three Vase by over six lengths) and at Newbury (Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes) last season, he ran his best race in defeat when second in the Group One St Leger at Doncaster in September, behind the classy Continuous but ahead of Tower Of London who has won two races over further and over £2,000,000 already this year.
That form look solid to me, and he is not being overfaced here for his first start of the season – though we are guessing at his fitness level for his first start of the new turf season.
Daily Sport Recommended Bet 1pt Win Arrest 1.30pm Newbury 13/8 William Hill
