Distant Storm could step back up in class in the Virgin Bet Celebration Mile Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday after winning at Group 3 level at Deauville earlier this month.
Charlie Appleby has the colt in line for the race, which would give him another chance to prove himself at a higher level after a busy run of recent form. The Goodwood contest is not yet confirmed, but Distant Storm is among the names being considered for the Group 3.
The interest around the race is easy to understand. Distant Storm already has strong form in good company, having finished just in front of Zavateri in last year's Dewhurst. That gives him a useful piece of form to lean on, especially with another return to a demanding listed event on the cards.
Possible rivals in the mix
The race also features a number of other familiar names in the discussion, including Notable Speech, Seagulls Eleven, Boiling Point, Qirat, Isaac Newton, Morris Dancer and Shayem. The final field has not been confirmed, so the shape of the race could still change before Saturday.
One recent reference point is Notable Speech beating Zavateri in last Saturday's Sky Bet City Of York Stakes. That result adds another layer to the Goodwood picture, especially with Zavateri already tied to Distant Storm through last year's Dewhurst.
The race also has some added historical interest for Goodwood. Isaac Newton won there as a juvenile 12 months ago, a reminder that the track can produce important stepping stones for horses moving through their season.
For now, the main question is whether Distant Storm lines up and, if he does, whether he can build on his Deauville win in another Group 3 test. With Charlie Appleby keeping him in the mix, Saturday could offer another useful marker in his progression.
