Septimus will bid for back-to-back victories in the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup at York on Wednesday.

The five-year-old was a one-length winner of the Group Two last term and is viewed as a likely successor to Aidan O’Brien’s star stayer Yeats following a subsequent five-length romp in last year’s Doncaster Cup.

Septimus has had just one start this campaign, winning the Curragh Cup at the end of June. Soft-ground lover Royal And Regal is due to return following a mid-season break for Michael Jarvis, while O’Brien also runs three-year-old William Hogarth.

Recent Ascot winner Metaphoric, Chester Cup scorer Bulwark and Petara Bay are other interesting contenders, with Carte Diamond, Yellowstone and Godolphin’s Sagara completing the line-up.
(Source: RTÉ Racing)