Of the 58 races across eight meetings in the UK & Ireland on Saturday, it’s a Listed contest over 1m3½f at Windsor that’s the focus of Betfred’s Owen McMahon NAP of the Day.

Earlier this month I suggested a horse called Lion’s Pride for the Betfred St Leger, so it saddens me to be opposing him at Windsor on Saturday evening.

John & Thady Gosden’s three-year-old brings strong form to the table and boasts a serious amount of potential, but this looks like a prep run for the Classic at Doncaster next month and he meets some older, proven rivals for his first attempt on turf.

One of those rivals is the 115-rated Deauville Legend for James Ferguson, who’s looking to bounce back from a no-show in the King George at Ascot exactly four weeks ago.

That can be easily forgiven. The son of Sea The Stars pulled very hard early on and paid the price. The official margin is heavily exaggerated too, as Oisin Murphy eased him down over 2f out.

Connections have stressed the four-year-old is none the worse for those exploits, and that he’s in “good nick”. The plan, they say, is to hopefully bounce back here before a potential trip Down Under for the Cox Plate/Caulfield Cup.

If you put a line through the King George, the gelding is an extremely consistent type. He’s always there or thereabouts, and his best pieces of form – his win in the G2 Great Voltigeur at the 2022 Ebor Festival to name one – are easily the best on offer in this field of seven.

I obviously hope Lion’s Pride runs very well and enhances his claim for the Betfred St Leger, but I struggle to see him beating the selection who really should be taking advantage of what is a significant drop in class.