Tag Archive for: Royal Ascot Festival

Lady Iman likely to swerve Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot

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Lady Iman, a leading fancy for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, is not a definite runner.

Trainer Ger Lyons is considering other options for the unbeaten Starman filly, with the Balanchine Stakes on June 28 at the Curragh – better known as the Airlie Stud Stakes – a likely target before she steps up to Group One class.

“I’ll talk to the owners before I make the entry or not but as we stand I can only tell you that my understanding is we might stay at home for the Balanchine/Phoenix/Moyglare or Cheveley Park later on, that’s the route we are thinking at the minute,” Lyons told the Nick Luck Daily podcast.

“She’s in good order, she’s been push-button for me and I know I’ll get slated by the perceived experts for not lining up in Ascot but anybody who knows me knows Ascot is not the be-all-and-end-all for me, it’s all about the future of the horse going forward.”

One who Lyons is taking over the water is Babouche, winner of the Phoenix Stakes last year and a horse who impressed when winning at Naas last time out.

“I’m never confident. Babouche is a star and if she never runs again she owes us all nothing,” said Lyons.

“I loved what she did at Naas, is that good enough? I don’t know.

“It’s a very strong race and I’d be very worried of the Godolphin horse (Shadow Of Light) who was placed in the Guineas dropping back and there’s more than that.

“Then you need luck in running. I wouldn’t be overly confident with my string at the moment, the way they are performing.

“I wouldn’t be jumping up and down about my string heading into Ascot, I’d rather be in a better frame of mind with them but if I’m happy with them I’ll send them.”

Lake Victoria ruled out of Royal Ascot

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Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Lake Victoria has been ruled out of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Undefeated in five juvenile starts last season, including Group One wins in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, the Cheveley Park and at the Breeders’ Cup, Aidan O’Brien’s filly was beaten into sixth place in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on her return to action but bounced back to her best in the Irish equivalent.

The daughter of Frankel was expected to be a major part of the Ballydoyle handler’s Ascot team next week, but owners Coolmore said in a post on X on Monday: “Lake Victoria will not run at Royal Ascot. She will have an easy few weeks and will return for a late summer/autumn campaign.”

The post also confirmed plans for Minnie Hauk and Whirl after the pair finished first and second in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday.

It read: “Epsom Oaks winner Minnie Hauk will target the Irish Oaks, while Whirl, who finished runner-up in the Epsom Oaks, will head for the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes.”

Goldie sweet on Ascot aim for American Affair

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Jim Goldie remains keen on a tilt at the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot with his star sprinter American Affair.

The five-year-old saw his rapid improvement briefly come to a halt in Haydock’s Temple Stakes when he finished fifth behind Ed Walker’s mare Mgheera.

However, Goldie believes a lack of early cover which forced him to run too keen, and then meeting trouble in running when he eventually did get in behind horses are enough of an excuse to believe he could have made up the two and three-quarter lengths that he was beaten.

“He’s still on target for Ascot,” said Goldie. “I think we needed a bit of cover and we didn’t get it straight away, and then when he did get it he (Paul Mulrennan) couldn’t get out when he needed to.

“He’s one of these horses, we discovered when he won the Portland, that he is probably 10lb better if you can switch him off so you need to get cover.

“He likes getting towed along but mentally he then switches off. If you don’t get proper cover, mentally he doesn’t switch off and he ends up running with the choke open and that is exactly what happened.

“We were disappointed, obviously, but it wasn’t that bad a run and we’ve still got a horse with a big engine and we’ll try again another day.

“Look at last year’s Derby winner (City Of Troy), when he ran in the Guineas Aidan O’Brien said he lost his race in the stalls because he got a bit upset and it turned out he was right – then he went to America and it went wrong again.

“They are highly-tuned animals and if they don’t get into an absolute rhythm they rarely win. You can’t get it right all the time.

“He’s good enough for that level, I’ve never doubted that, and there’s usually one or two at Ascot who go blasting off and if you are drawn next to them that helps.”

Balding contemplating Commonwealth challenge for Jonquil

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Andrew Balding has raised the possibility of Poule d’Essai des Poulains runner-up Jonquil dropping back in distance for a shot at the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

The Juddmonte-owned son of Lope De Vega has excelled in the early stages of the season winning the Greenham before finding just Henri Matisse too good in France.

However, rather than a St James’s Palace Stakes rematch with his ParisLongchamp conqueror, the Kingsclere handler is contemplating reverting to sprinting at the Royal meeting.

“Jonquil is really good since France and obviously we’re hoping for Royal Ascot and he has a number of engagements there,” said Balding.

“I think the most likely at this stage is dropping him back to six for the Commonwealth Cup but it’s all in the mix. I’d hope he has enough speed for that.”

Balding is one of the main beneficiaries of the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute having inherited both Jonquil and the high-class Epsom-winning filly Formal and he added: “I think if Sir Michael had the horses we’ve acquired, they would have done exactly the same as what they’ve done with us this year.

“They were well looked after and well prepared and we’re very fortunate to have them.”