Align The Stars

“Jason Hart galloped Align The Stars in July last year before he'd ever run and said he'll win the Ascot Gold Cup, and we're still bang on track. He still hasn't really raced over a relentless mile and six furlongs and I think an emphasis on stamina in the St Leger is really going to take him to the next level. It will take another step up for him to be competitive, but I have enough faith in him that it's a realistic aim. I think back to Subjectivist at the same part of his career and he went to the Leger and it was too sharp a test for him, but then he won a Group 1 in the Prix Royal Oak as a three-year-old - Charlie Johnston, trainer.”

“Align The Stars is a huge horse who's bred to be top-class. We probably ran him more than we wanted to last year, chasing his Book 1 bonus. I've always hoped he would be a Group horse in time and I've not seen anything today that doesn't give me that confidence. If he went to Goodwood he'd have to come back to a mile and a half and Tony [Farmer, owner] is a big York man, so the Melrose has been on the radar for a long time - Charlie Johnston, trainer.”