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Arod and Spear in Summer Mile

The duo are among nine declared horses for the Gr.2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (14.45), in which the Richard Hannon-trained Toormore, the likely favourite, is now thought to be a doubtful runner.

Toormore finished ahead of Arod when they were second and third in the Gr.1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May, but the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Arod subsequently won Epsom's Gr.3 Diomed Stakes in great style. Chapple-Hyam decided to swerve Royal Ascot with Arod to give him more time to recover from his Epsom run, and he should give Andrea Atzeni a big ride today.

Oisin Murphy rides Lightning Spear, a lightly-raced four-year-old who is unbeaten in four races. Trainer Olly Stevens describes today's step up in class as the colt's "judgement day". Stevens said: "This will be the first time he has tied two races together, and it will be fascinating to see how this works compared to running fresh, which is all he has done so far."

Lightning Spear ran once at two and three, then scored in April this year and followed up at Salisbury on June 24 in a handicap.

Other Stakes runners today for the team include Lightning Thunder, who runs for Stevens in the Listed City Plate Stakes (15.00) at Chester, and Peace And War, who tackles the Delaware Oaks (22.45 UK time).

Tomorrow, a new recruit to Qatar Racing runs in Chantilly's Gr.1 Prix Jean Prat (15.45). Mr Owen, who was third to Makfi's son Make Believe in the Gr.1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, is one of eight runners in the race. He is trained by Francois Rohaut and ridden by Christophe Soumillon.

Picture of Arod by Laurence Squire

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