Tag Archive for: Royal Ascot Festival

Chindit strikes first time out again to land Paradise Stakes

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Chindit won first time out for the fourth successive year when making nearly all the running in the Howden Bloodstock Paradise Stakes at Ascot.

Sent off the 5-2 joint-favourite with his Richard Hannon-trained stablemate Lusail, his task was made significantly easier by the morning withdrawal of William Haggas’ Champion Stakes third My Prospero with a dirty scope.

Chindit could only beat those put in front of him, however, and he once again proved how well he goes fresh with a dominant display under Pat Dobbs.

Dobbs was keen to dictate matters and one by one his opponents came off the bridle and once Raadobarg came under pressure Chindit began to pull clear.

The field began to close inside the final 100 yards and it was David Simcock’s lightly-raced Cash who got to within three-quarters of a length at the line but the result was never in doubt.

Hannon said: “That’s the fourth year in a row he’s won and he’s much more relaxed.

“He would have preferred to get a lead but he had his own way in front.

“I think he will go for the Lockinge next, then the Queen Anne and maybe Australia at the end of the year.

“He’s an extremely reliable and very sound horse, and will make an extremely good stallion.

“There are a good few races down there (in Australia) as well as races like the Shadwell Mile round two bends in the US.”

Maximum Impact lived up to the huge promise of his debut win and provided Alice Haynes with a first Ascot winner in the process when running out a convincing winner of the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions Stakes.

A 12-length winner on heavy ground at Leicester, he proved he can handle a much quicker surface on this occasion as the Havana Grey colt bounded clear on good ground.

It was the two previous winners who dominated throughout, with Hollie Doyle on Archie Watson’s Action Point smartly away and bagging the rail.

Maximum Impact takes in his surroundings
Maximum Impact takes in his surroundings (PA)

With a furlong to run, Action Point appeared to be going marginally the better but when Kevin Stott got into the drive position on Maximum Impact he soon began to assert, with the evens favourite coming home two and a quarter lengths to the good. The Line made a pleasing debut in third.

The winner was cut to 16-1 from 25s for the five-furlong Norfolk Stakes by Coral, but Haynes may be tempted to step him up to six furlongs for the Coventry Stakes.

Haynes said: “It’s the first battle he’s had, but he hit the line strongly. He has a very relaxed attitude and came back in with his ears pricked.

“The owners have lots of two-year-olds but this one will enjoy the step up to six furlongs. He has a great brain and we had to come here to test him.

“There’s a race at Sandown (National Stakes) but I think we will probably wait and come back here.”

Chasing Aphrodite streaks clear under Pierre-Louis Jamin
Chasing Aphrodite streaks clear under Pierre-Louis Jamin (David Davies/PA)

Roger Varian’s Yaanaas was all the rage ahead of the Howden Manny Mercer Apprentice Handicap following two wins on the all-weather.

He cruised to the front a furlong out under Aidan Keeley but the challengers were mounting on his inside, the strongest of which was Chasing Aphrodite (8-1).

Having his first run since wind surgery, Harry Eustace’s four-year-old came with a perfectly-timed challenge under Pierre-Louis Jamin to win by a length and a half from the favourite.

Jamin said: “The sun and wind are having an impact on the ground, but my main concern was to get him some cover which would help him get his head down and settle.

“He’s definitely benefitted from a wind operation since his last run.”

Queen For You was an eyecatching winner on debut
Queen For You was an eyecatching winner on debut (David Davies/PA)

John and Thady Gosden’s Queen For You (4-1) made a very impressive winning debut against rivals with experience in the Naas Racecourse Royal Ascot Trials Day British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

Beautifully bred as a daughter of Kingman out of Coronation Stakes winner Fallen For You, she was a comfortable two-length winner under Rab Havlin.

Thady Gosden said: “She’d been going nicely at home and her mother won the Coronation Stakes while Kingman was a champion miler.

“So yes, we would take a look at the Coronation Stakes. It’s five weeks away but another run would benefit her.”

Cold Case swoops late for Commonwealth Trial triumph

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Cold Case began his season in the best possible fashion when coming home strongly to win the British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes at Ascot.

Karl Burke’s three-year-old enjoyed a good season last year, winning a valuable sales race at Doncaster before ending with success in the Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar.

Sent off a 5-1 chance in what looked a very strong Group Three, he was caught out for speed over a furlong from home as Hollie Doyle and Bradsell, returning from a lengthy absence, shot clear.

Archie Watson’s Coventry Stakes winner looked as though he was about to resume winning ways, but on his first start since sustaining an injury in the Phoenix Stakes 270 days ago, he began to tire in the closing stages.

Clifford Lee on Cold Case sensed his opportunity and swept into the lead, triumphing by a length and a half, with 125-1 outsider The X O finishing well for second. Bradsell was a further short head back in third.

Lee said: “I thought as he hadn’t run for a while he might need it, but he picked up really well.

“He’s a good galloper, very consistent, and he has a bit of boot as well.

“I will be more confident wherever he goes next time.”

Coltrane stakes Gold Cup claim with Sagaro success

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Andrew Balding’s Coltrane turned the tables on his Champions Day conqueror Trueshan with a dominant display in the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

Just touched off by Alan King’s Trueshan in the Long Distance Cup, having won the Doncaster Cup a month previously, Coltrane (11-4) is now one of the leading contenders for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot after landing this notable trial.

Having missed over a year between October 2020 and November 2021, it took a while for him to resume the progress he had shown at three.

However, last season it all clicked and and he progressed from finishing second on his reappearance in the Chester Cup off 95 to win the Ascot Stakes before locking horns with Trueshan et al in the Cup races.

Trueshan had something to prove having been beaten by Rajinsky at Nottingham last month and while he gained revenge on that rival, he had to settle for fourth this time.

Hollie Doyle raised the pace aboard Trueshan half a mile from home, but Oisin Murphy was able to easily track her before quickening clear to win by four and three-quarter lengths.

Wise Eagle ran a massive career best in second, with El Habeeb taking third.

Betfair make the winner the 5-1 second-favourite for the Gold Cup behind Aidan O’Brien’s Emily Dickinson at 7-2.

Oisin Murphy salutes the crowd on Coltrane
Oisin Murphy salutes the crowd on Coltrane (PA)

Balding said: “He looked very good when he won the Melrose (at three) and he hasn’t really looked back.

“To come back here in June is the plan and he’s very versatile ground-wise and he’s a course and distance winner.”

Murphy, riding his first Pattern-race winner in the UK since returning from a 14-month suspension, added: “It’s fantastic to ride so many winners for Andrew, including a few better races like on Good Friday.

“This horse has very lucky owners (Janice and Mick Mariscotti) who have 10 horses with him. Coltrane is in the form of his life, and Andrew has done a terrific job getting him to his best.”

Trueshan on his way to post at Ascot
Trueshan on his way to post at Ascot (David Davies/PA)

Trueshan could also contest the Gold Cup next month, but King is eyeing a possible switch in code.

He said: “It’s ground dependent, but we’ll train him for the Gold Cup. There’s a strong possibility you might see him over hurdles in the autumn.

“The Northumberland Plate, the Goodwood Cup and Ascot in October were all tough races and I hope they haven’t left their mark on him.

“I brought him back to win here and we had to come, but it was always going to be tough to beat Coltrane.

“His next race will tell us an awful lot, but whatever happens he’s been the most wonderful servant.”

Ward lining up another strong Royal Ascot challenge

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Wesley Ward’s Royal Ascot team is taking shape and they are set to form part of a formidable overseas challenge on the meeting.

Ward’s Love Reigns, fourth in last year’s Queen Mary, and Twilight Gleaming, second in the same race two years ago, are both on course to return.

They could be joined by Brad Cox’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint heroine Caravel.

Twilight Gleaming (left) was beaten by Quick Suzy at Ascot in 2021
Twilight Gleaming (left) was beaten by Quick Suzy at Ascot in 2021 (David Davies/PA)

Ward said: “Love Reigns and Twilight Gleaming are doing great. They are both coming off nice comeback wins and their owner Barbara Banke (of Stonestreet Stables) is really looking forward to getting them over there. She loves Ascot as much as me and we are all excited.

“I was really happy with Love Reigns in the Limestone Stakes. She had to switch a couple of times in the run but showed a great attitude to get up on the line, while Twilight Gleaming showed a lot of speed in her comeback race.

“Twilight Gleaming will definitely go for the King’s Stand Stakes, whereas Love Reigns will have an entry there and in the Commonwealth Cup.”

Ward has made his name winning the juvenile contests at Ascot and American Rascal, a son of his Queen Mary and King’s Stand winner Lady Aurelia, made a big impression when winning on his debut.

“American Rascal has come out of his first race in super shape. The team at Stonestreet really liked him and it was exciting to see him produce a performance like that.” said Ward.

“Fandom looks another good prospect after his debut win on the grass and we also have some nice two-year-olds to run at Belmont, so we will see what else unfolds in the coming days.

“Bledsoe has already travelled over to England and will run in a novice race at Ascot on May 13. He won America’s first two-year-old race of the year on the dirt at Keeneland but his mother Shrinking Violet was a multiple stakes winner of the turf, so we are looking forward to getting him on the grass.”

Kenny McPeek’s Classic Causeway could be a rare American runner in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes while Jorge Delgado’s New York Thunder is a possible for the Commonwealth Cup.

Artorius went through his paces on the July Course before the July Cup
Artorius went through his paces on the July Course before the July Cup (Beth McCabe)

There looks set to be a strong Australian representation in the sprint contests, with Artorius back for more having finished third in the Platinum Jubilee last year.

Trainer Sam Freedman said: “Artorius had his first improving gallop the other day, having come off a bit of a fresh. He seems to be shaping up really well and will have a couple of trials over here before we put him on the plane.

“I think he is definitely hitting Royal Ascot this year in better form than he was 12 months ago. He is not far off the likes of Anamoe and his win in the Canterbury has worked out, with the runner-up Imperatriz going on to win another Group One.

“There are a few Aussies coming over again this year. I think you will see a decent filly in the King’s Stand in Coolangatta and then you have an older horse in The Astrologist, who is right around the mark. Our horse proved last year that he is up to competing over there and, provided a few things go his way, we would be very hopeful of another big performance.”

Coolangatta is trained by David Eustace, son of former Newmarket handler, James, in partnership with Ciaron Maher.

“Coolangatta galloped yesterday and will have her first proper workout next week. She has improved again physically from the Lightning Stakes and we feel we are ahead of the game in terms of her preparation,” said Eustace.

“We are stepping into the unknown when it comes to international travel but Coolangatta has done a lot of travelling around Australia and is used to being in unfamiliar places. We are hopeful that she will handle that side of things well but you never know until you do it.

“We think the 1,000 metres of the King’s Stand, with the uphill finish, looks ideal and genuine fast ground will be to her advantage as well.”

The Astrologist, trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, is already in the UK and will take in a prep race ahead of Ascot having run in Dubai.

“He has settled beautifully in Newmarket – he is a very adaptable horse and enjoys the travel. The plan is for him to have a racecourse gallop this week on the Rowley Mile in preparation for the 1895 Duke of York Stakes,” said Troy Corstens.

“He will then head to Royal Ascot for the Platinum Jubilee. We feel that this will be the perfect race for him. He is a renowned straight-track horse in Australia and we feel the testing course of Ascot will suit him immensely.”

No Coronation Classic bid for Slipofthepen

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Slipofthepen could be rerouted to the French 2000 Guineas after connections decided against a bid for Classic glory at Newmarket this weekend.

Two impressive all-weather wins at Kempton from John and Thady Gosden’s promising colt raised the exciting prospect that the three-year-old could give the King and the Queen Consort a runner in the Qipco 2000 Guineas on the ruling monarch’s Coronation Day.

Slipofthepen enjoyed a racecourse gallop on the Rowley Mile last week, but was not left in the first Classic of the season at Monday’s confirmation stage, with the team opting for a more patient approach.

Slipofthepen galloping at Newmarket
Slipofthepen galloping at Newmarket (The Jockey Club/John Hoy/Megan Ridgwell)

Speaking on Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast, the King’s racing manager John Warren said: “I think we were all hoping for that to be the case (that Slipofthepen would run in the 2000 Guineas), especially because it would have been both the King and the Queen Consort’s first Classic runner.

“But I think once we pieced all the jigsaw together and really analysed his prospects, I think we thought it’s come a little bit too soon. He’s an inexperienced horse who is only just learning how to use his legs as fast as he needs to.

“He’s won two races on the all-weather impressively and John Gosden thinks he’s up to becoming a high-class performer, (but) when we added it all together we felt it would be kinder to the horse to give him a little bit more experience.”

Slipofthepen could run at Royal Ascot for owner King Charles III
Slipofthepen could run at Royal Ascot for owner King Charles III (Molly Darlington/PA)

Whether Slipofthepen heads for ParisLongchamp or not, his main target is to run in front of his owners at Royal Ascot next month.

Warren added: “He’ll do some important racecourse gallops and because he’s held in high regard, there’s a possibility that we will not discount looking at the French Guineas.

“It’s early days to be firm on the plan, but here we are two weeks out from that and that’s what we’re looking at, and if we don’t make it there is the Heron Stakes at Sandown a few days later with the objective that all roads lead to Ascot, which would be great.

“We’re hoping the King and the Queen Consort will be able to attend racing that week, so it would be tremendous to give them a few runners.”

Dapper looks particularly sharp at Newbury

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Dapper Valley posted an impressive debut performance as he triumphed in style in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury.

The Dandy Man colt was introduced into the betting for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot at 16-1 given Pat Dobbs did not need to get too serious in winning by two and a quarter lengths at 11-2.

It was a timely success for his syndicate of owners, Thurloe Thoroughbreds, given just a few hours earlier they had announced the retirement of their Cesarewitch and Grade Two-winning hurdler, Buzz.

“He’s always been a nice colt but we were in two minds whether to run him on that (soft) ground,” said Hannon.

“I love the way he travelled. He has a lovely temperament and took it all in his stride.

“I’d say he’s a pretty useful two-year-old and I hope he’s a Royal Ascot horse.

“He’ll need another run before then, which could be back here at the Lockinge meeting.”

Scholarship returns under Tom Marquand
Scholarship returns under Tom Marquand (PA)

Clive Cox’s Scholarship got his career back on track when just getting the better of the Hannon-trained Hectic in the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises Handicap.

A debut winner last year, he struggled in the Coventry Stakes before being unsighted at York but showed a good attitude under Tom Marquand to win by a neck at 9-1.

“The Coventry came too soon for him last year, we have gelded him and given him time,” said Jake Warren, racing manager for owner Isa Salman Al Khalifa.

“It looks like we can move to the next stage of his career now. He’s a big, powerful horse who will head to Ascot – it’s a question of will he stay the mile or do we stay at seven furlongs?”

Fakhama and Jim Crowley
Fakhama and Jim Crowley (PA)

William Haggas and Jim Crowley were out of luck with Tafreej who could manage only third behind Scholarship but they would have been pleased with the winning debut of Fakhama (16-5) in the first division of the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden.

The daughter of Kingman is a half-sister to the Haggas-trained Mujtaba, winner of five of his eight races earning a rating of 114.

She pulled away nicely to win in the manner of an above-average filly.

Haggas’ wife and assistant Maureen said: “You can’t ask for much more, it was a nice introduction. The ground wasn’t ideal, though her brother liked it. She’s a May foal and very immature.”

Angus Gold, racing manager for owners, Shadwell, added: “We won’t be in any hurry with her, she’s quite a big girl.”

The second division went to Henry Candy’s Araminta, quietly backed throughout the day into 17-2.

A daughter of the smart sprinter Mince, Dane O’Neill always looked confident and she picked up long-time leader Kokomo with ease to win by three and a half lengths.

Novel Legend with winning connections

Novel Legend with winning connections (PA)

James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend (11-5 favourite) looked well ahead of the handicapper when winning the Compton Beauchamp Estates Ltd Silver Bar Handicap by six lengths.

The problem his connections might have is that while he is entered in the Chester Cup, he will only pick up 3lb penalty for this success, which still leaves him needing plenty to come out.

Winning rider Danny Muscutt said: “He’d gone forward since Kempton and I was very pleased with the way he raced behind the bridle.

“From four out I was looking for something to take me as far as I needed.”