Built on a facile win in a novice event at Salisbury with a good second in a Deaville Listed race towards the end of last year. Well beaten in a Group 3 at Chantilly in May though and may want softer ground than what he gets here. Steps up in trip.
Built on his reappearance with a good second in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown. Slow to break in the Derby and never really got in to it but he just about sets the standard on form back down in class and not ruled out if he can get away on terms.
Won here on his debut and while well beaten on reappearance run at Newmarket on seasonal bow, that was a competitive contest and he took a step forward from that at Nottingham last time when second of 14. More needed up in class here though.
Won a maiden on his fifth start at Navan and stepped up on that when a winner of a Listed race at Leopardstown last time. No surprise to see him do better when tried over further but he's still lightly raced and going the right way at present.
Lost his maiden tag in a Novice event at Kempton in December and has run well in defeat in a couple of Listed races this term. Steps up another 1f in trip here and will need to take a fairly big step forward if he's to be in the shake up.
A winner of four of his seven starts and made it two from three at Newmarket this season in a three-runner Listed contest last time out. Still improving, will like the ground here and likely to be more to come over this new trip.
Confirmed the promise of his debut run when getting the better of Elector at Nottingham last month and built on that with a win at Leicester last time. Still entirely unexposed but this is a big step up in class and he will need to improve.
Landed a below par Group 2 at the Curragh last year and better than ever when winning the Dee Stakes at Chester two runs back but his efforts in France either side of that have been below par and perhaps not the most consistent sort. Not ruled out.
Won at York on debut and won what turned out to be a decent renewal of the Group 3 Acomb Stakes back at that course in August. Not as effective on quicker ground in the Dante last time though and conditions a concern again here.
Forecasts
Delano Roosevelt (5/2), Raa Atoll (7/2), Old Persian (9/2), Rostropovich (7/1), Giuseppe Garibaldi (15/2), Wells Farhh Go (10/1), Elector (14/1), Highbrow (25/1), Alternative Fact (50/1)
ROSTROPOVICH isn't the easiest horse to assess but it's entirely possible he's been crying out for the better ground he's going to get here and his two runs in France this year can be excused if that is the case. Stablemate Delano Roosevelt wasn't disgraced in the Derby and if he can get away on terms after two slow starts, Ryan Moore's mount shouldn't be dismissed. Old Persian is still improving and there's every chance he can produce a career best effort now his stamina is being brought in to play by this trip.