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Everything is all set for Gregory to compete for consecutive Royal Ascot victories, targeting the Gold Cup. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the 4YO faces a significant challenge as he aims to follow in the footsteps of last year's champion Courage Mon Ami, who is also owned by Wathnan Racing but currently out of action.
Gregory clinched victory in the Queen’s Vase in 2023, securing a prestigious double for his new owners, and later finished fifth in the St Leger at Doncaster. His return this season at the Yorkshire Cup saw him secure a commendable third place behind Giavellotto.
“Everyone is very happy with Gregory. Obviously it was disappointing to have lost Courage Mon Ami, but he’s going to step up,” said Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown.
“We were really pleased with his first run, delighted in fact, and obviously he promises to stay further, he was strong at the line having been off for a long time.
“We were very happy with that, I think that (a mile and three-quarters) will probably be his minimum trip. Obviously you never know they are going to stay that far, two and a half miles (the Gold Cup trip), but I think he’s got every chance.” He added.
Ed Walker is currently considering different options for his promising Sandown winner Almaqam. The Heron Stakes victor is set to compete at Royal Ascot, but Walker is still deciding whether to enter him against 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech in the St James’s Palace Stakes or to try him out at a longer distance of 10 furlongs for the Hampton Court.
“I can’t see 10 furlongs being an issue but he has plenty of speed. I think if there was a mile Group Three or Group Two we’d probably go for that but there isn’t, so it’s either go in the deep end or a bit more progression – but I don’t think the Hampton Court will be easy anyway.”said Walker
Harper’s Ferry, another talented 3YO in the yard, had a setback when he refused to enter the stalls before the Dee Stakes at Chester. With a handicap mark of 88, all possibilities are still on the table for him.
"He's in good shape, performing well, and has passed his stalls test. We've hopefully addressed some of those idiosyncrasies.
“He could do anything, so we’ve got loads of options and we’ll have him well entered up.”commented Walker.
Elmalka, the 1000 Guineas winner trained by Roger Varian, is said to be in great shape and is set to compete in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. This daughter of Kingman made a remarkable victory at Newmarket, coming from last to first and triumphing by a neck over Porta Fortuna in only her third race.
Varian told Sky Sports Racing: “We’re very much thinking of the Coronation Stakes. Since she won at Newmarket, we were never going to Ireland. I think that was only her third start, so she looks like she’s getting the hang of it now and hopefully we’ll see a strong performance at Ascot.
“But she’s very straightforward. She’s been slow to get the hang of things, but she’s looking like she knows her job now, so I’m sure she’ll be a very straightforward ride at Ascot.”he added.
Varian is also optimistic about Group One success for Charyn in the Queen Anne Stakes. The 4YO horse has secured victories at Doncaster and Sandown and finished second to surprise Lockinge winner, Audience, at Newbury.
The Newmarket handler said: “He’s in great .He ran great in the Lockinge, he was the only horse to come out of the pack. I thought he ran really well.
“Credit to the winner, who is a very good horse and put in a great performance, but I thought Charyn came a long way away from all the horses he raced with, so it was a great performance and hopefully he can do something similar at Ascot.”
Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot could potentially feature another showdown between Inspiral and stablemate Audience.
In the recent Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, Audience pulled off a surprising victory at 22/1 odds, while Inspiral finished fourth as the 2/1 favorite. Although there were initial thoughts of targeting the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, which would see a return to ten furlongs for Inspiral, Chris Richardson, Managing Director of Cheveley Park Stud, suggested on Tuesday's Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast that this might not be the case.
Complicating the decision-making process are the facts that Passenger and White Birch, the top favorites for the Wednesday showpiece, are both offspring of Ulysees, a stallion standing at Cheveley Park.
“The Prince Of Wales’s is a consideration but there are other considerations and other competitors in that race from a business point of view that I have to consider.
“White Birch who we bred and are very proud of would probably prefer some ease in the ground. We’ve seen him to best effect with some cut and that might be a consideration but certainly Passenger who we know is owned by our partners in Ulysees looks to have improved again and is certainly a leading contender.
“He’s still a highly exciting stallion and I think still under-rated, which is something I would naturally say, and the horses that have progressed from three to four, as Ulysees did to win the Eclipse and Juddmonte International,
So the Queen Anne is under serious consideration for Inspiral and is already the firm plan for the all-the-way Newbury winner.
“I don’t think Audience will be given an easy lead, I think there could be plenty of pace in there, but as John and Thady (Gosden) have said, the filly needed the run that day and she was probably doing just enough on the gallops
Barry Fitzgerald is making final arrangements for A Piece Of Heaven's journey to Royal Ascot. The 6YO stayer has clinched victory in three of his last four races at Gowran Park, Dundalk, and Leopardstown, leading to a rise in his rating to 101.
The trainer said: "We have cut down to two (Royal Ascot options) now - more than likely we are going to go for the 1m6f (Copper Horse Stakes) on Tuesday instead of the 2m5f.
Gemma Tutty is preparing for her debut as a Royal Ascot runner as Blue Storm gears up for the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.
The Blue Point colt, sired by a Listed winner Riskit Fora Biskit, secured a spot at the prestigious event after triumphing in the 3YO “Dash” Handicap at Epsom on Derby Day. Despite starting as an 8-1 chance, the 3YO ridden by Rossa Ryan, displayed a remarkable performance, surging through the field to claim victory by three-quarters of a length.
This achievement marked Tutty's first appearance at the renowned venue, having previously tasted success at Ascot with Mostly Cloudy.
Now, she is poised to add another milestone to her career as her stable is set to make its Royal Ascot debut.
“He’s come out of it no problem at all, we just need to wrap him in cotton wool between now and Ascot!” the trainer said.
“Rossa gave him a fantastic ride, it was lovely to see him go and do that and it’s very exciting to be going to Ascot on the back of a good win.
“We were going to campaign him through the winter, but he went up to a mark of 88 and there just wasn’t a race for him and we’d missed the boat to take him abroad.
Blue Storm will be Tutty’s only Ascot entrant and will carry the silks of David Lowe, a prolific owner of sprinters who has campaigned the likes of Kachy and Sparks Fly.