Ten runners have been declared for the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes (S2-3), the centrepiece of Newbury Racecourse’s Flat season, taking place on Saturday 16 May. Lining up among them to contest the straight mile and £400,000 prize fund will be Andrew Balding’s Jonquil.

Last year’s Group 3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes winner and French 2000 Guineas runner up signed off last season by winning the Group 2 Celebration Mile Stakes at Goodwood before making the trip overseas for his winter campaign.

The four-year-old son of Lope De Vega reaffirmed his ability when making a winning return in the Listed Paradise Stakes at Ascot earlier this month. Having impressed that day under Colin Keane, who retains the ride on Saturday, Jonquil is worthy of his place in this hot renewal of the Lockinge Stakes. Balding commented: “He’s obviously started well winning at Ascot really quite impressively. He’s a horse we’ve always thought a lot of and one I’d hope he will prove very competitive in a Group 1 at some stage this year in England.

“Since Ascot we’ve been delighted with him - he’s eating well and seems in good spirits out of exercise. It’s quite a quick turnaround, just about two weeks but the feeling is that he’s recovered well from Ascot and, seems at his best form at home.”

Looking to make his mark in top-class company, Jonquil is currently 16-1 with race sponsors BOYLE Sports. Balding added: “The Lockinge is an important race in that it's the first sort of really big Group 1 mile race of the year in England for the older horses. So, I think if any horse were to perform well in the Lockinge, the rest of the season is exciting to look forward to.”

On what it would mean to win the race for the first time, the Kingsclere handler said: “We’ve had a couple of horses placed in the Lockinge before, so it’d be lovely as Newbury is our local track.

“It would be lovely to win it one day and my dad (the late Ian Balding) was lucky enough to win it a couple of times, so I would try and catch him up one day.”

His rivals include the favourite Damysus, who made an impressive winning return in the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket in April. The Wathnan-owned colt bids to land a fourth consecutive win and his first Group 1 for John and Thady Gosden, who have won three of the last six runnings of the race.

Joint second-favourite is Karl Burke’s Zeus Olympios, who was unbeaten from four starts last season and is expected to improve for his recent third-place at Sandown. Alongside him is Notable Speech, representing Charlie Appleby and the Godolphin team. Fourth in last year’s renewal, he subsequently landed major international successes in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore partners present the Irish challenge with The Lion In Winter, who arrives in winning form after securing the Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown last month, and the likely pacemaker Mississippi River.

Meanwhile French hopes will be on Francis-Henri Graffard and Sahlan, the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner.

More Thunder (William Haggas), Cicero’s Gift (Charlie Hills) and Dancing Gemini (Roger Teal) complete the field.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club will simulcast for betting the Lockinge Stakes Day from Newbury Racecourse, Great Britain on Saturday, 16 May. First of the 8 races to be simulcast is due to start at 20:25 Hong Kong time.

Image: Newbury Racecourse