Walbank to Challenge The Antarctic in Norfolk Stakes

Had connections of Go Bears Go  tried to design a horse to go one better than he managed in last year's Norfolk Stakes (G2), they would have created Walbank.

A narrow second with Go Bears Go in the same race last season, trainer Dave Loughnane appears confident the 525,000 guineas ($US$718,181) breeze-up buy is the right horse to go one better this time around.

Walbank has had some practice at Ascot as he debuted here in May. He was second to Noble Style, who had headed ante-post lists for the Coventry Stakes (G2) before injury intervened. In third was Redemption Time, who won next time and turns up among the outsiders here, while fourth-placed Royal Scotsman  won his next race by five lengths and was third in the Coventry.

"We're very excited," Loughnane said. "The form of his races keeps getting franked, including in the Coventry, as we finished in front of Royal Scotsman at Ascot and he finished a very good third on Tuesday.

"He obviously needs to take another step forward in the Norfolk but it's hard for us not to be pretty hopeful and confident. He's a proper horse."

The 2-year-old colt is by Kodiac , one of the pre-eminent speed influences of recent years and the sire of Go Bears Go's sire, the miler Kodi Bear . In addition, Walbank's dam No Lippy was speedy and had won three times by Royal Ascot in her 2-year-old season. Her career was over before the St. Leger meeting that year.

Kodiac is responsible for two more runners in this field and both are curiosities. Marygate winner Pillow Talk  is the first filly to run in this race since 2019 and is here presumably because connections had Dramatised  for the Queen Mary (G2). She is not out of the running, as with her three-pound allowance she is only five pounds off the 10-year average for the Norfolk winner. The other Kodiac is debutant My First Rodeo, who is at least bred to be quick.

Only one other sire is represented with multiple runners and that is Sioux Nation , who won this race five years ago. He is a first-season sire, as he kept racing at 3 without improving. He has made a bright start as a stallion, which might well have been expected, with Brave Nation and Bakeel being two of his eight winners.

Speed to Burn

Aidan O'Brien last took the Norfolk Stakes with Sioux Nation in 2017 and hopes for a fourth win in the group 2 with The Antarctic, unbeaten in two starts and mounted by Ryan Moore.

A brother to the brilliant Battaash , who was still winning at group 1 level as a 6-year-old, he should have plenty more improvement to come and he has inherited plenty of his sibling's blistering pace according to O'Brien.

"He's been good since Naas and the Norfolk has always been the plan for him," said the trainer. "He's a pacy colt and has always shown us plenty of speed at home. Everything has gone well for him in the lead-up to the race. We've been very happy."