The classiest race this weekend is the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury (tomorrow, 3.35 p.m.) in which the French-trained Big Rock and the Newmarket-trained Inspiral are understandably vying for favouritism.
They are officially the two top rated horses in the race and they both finished last season on a high: Big Rock won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day by a comfortable six lengths, while John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral travelled to America and won the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf by a neck under a strong Frankie Dettori ride.
In fact, the two horses ran against each other last season when Inspiral went to Deauville in August and beat Big Rock by just over a length in the Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois.
Which horse goes off favourite tomorrow could well be decided by the ground.
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