This race has traditionally provided a battleground for the Classic generation to clash with their elders but, for whatever reason, the race has failed to attract the cream of the middle-distance three-year-olds, meaning the betting is dominated by older horses. The four-year-old Mount Nelson, Aidan O’Brien’s only runner, is Ladbroke’s market leader at 3/1, ahead of the Henry Cecil-trained Phoenix Tower at 7/2 - but I fancy neither at the prices.

True, Mount Nelson is trained by the all-conquering O’Brien, who has already bagged 12 Group 1’s this season, but he hasn’t won since his two-year-old days, and the form of his Queen Anne fifth has already taken a knock with the third, Finsceal Beo, finishing last in the Pretty Polly Stakes last Saturday. Before that, he’d finished third in a Group 3 at Chantilly over 1m, and the winner and second have nothing to advertise the form since. The form book says he should be a 10/1 shot, so I'm going to take him on with PIPEDREAMER, who looks a value price at 5/1 (bet365, Blue Square).

John Gosden’s four-year-old is improving with every race, recording a personal best when third to Duke Of Marmalade in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes over this trip of 1m last time out, with Phoenix Tower a short head in front of him. It won’t be easy to reverse the form, but he’s progressive and looked a more straight-forward ride at Royal Ascot, where Phoenix Tower hung under pressure. What’s more, Gosden has his horses in great form as he showed when netting three winners and a second from just four runners sent out last Saturday. All aboard the 5/1.

He ought to get the fast ground he needs, which would also improve the chances of STOTSFOLD, who showed he was coming back to his best when an unlucky sixth to Duke Of Marmalade last time, two lengths behind the selection and Phoenix Tower. I can’t see him winning, but he does look over-priced at 33/1 (Ladbrokes) in a race that has a habit of throwing up good-priced winners and placed horses. He can reward each way backers.

Recommended Bets:

Pipedreamer 3pts @ 5/1 bet365, Blue Square
Stotsfold 1pt each way @ 33/1 Ladbrokes