The Strikin Viking looks to rebound as he drops back in distance for the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes on Friday. Originally trained by Kevin Ryan, the colt impressed Wathnan Racing with a close second-place finish to Henri Matisse in the Railway Stakes, which prompted his move to Hamad Al Jehani’s yard.
His debut for the new connections came in the Richmond Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he was narrowly beaten by Black Forza, finishing half a length behind as the 11-10 favourite. However, his next outing in the Gimcrack at York proved disappointing, where he finished ninth after racing too keenly and fading late on.
James Doyle, who has ridden The Strikin Viking in his last two starts, is optimistic the drop to five furlongs and a more composed approach will yield a better result. Reflecting on the Richmond Stakes, Doyle admitted, "I made a mistake at Goodwood by pushing him too hard early on, and he tired late. At York, he got ahead of himself, racing too fast from the start. He’s incredibly fast, and now the focus is on getting him to relax and finish strong."
As they fine-tune his strategy for Newmarket, Doyle adds, "His racing manners will be crucial. If he settles early and finishes right, we’ll be happy with his progress, even if we don’t win."
A key rival in the race is Saeed bin Suroor’s Midnight Thunder, who also drops back to the minimum distance. The Kodiac colt has won his last two starts and will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. Bin Suroor is hopeful that soft ground will suit his charge, saying, "Midnight Thunder prefers softer conditions, and we’re hoping for some rain. Dropping back to five furlongs should suit him on a softer surface."
Fozzy Stack’s Grande Marques also poses a threat, having recently placed third in the Firth of Clyde at Ayr after an impressive maiden win at Navan. Stack is concerned about potential rain, noting, "She’s in good order, but she’d prefer nicer ground. Hopefully, she’ll run a good race."
Another intriguing contender is James Tate’s Kullazain, a Hello Youmzain colt who showed vast improvement with a dominant four-and-a-half-length win at Sandown. Tate believes the colt deserves his shot in this race, saying, "He’s improved all year, and while he needs to step up again, I think he’s ready for this challenge."
With several talented horses in the mix, the Cornwallis Stakes promises to be a thrilling contest as The Strikin Viking aims to recapture his best form.