It’s Royal Ascot Trials Day on Wednesday and Hollie Doyle has five chances, including staying star Trueshan in the Sagaro and last year’s Coventry Stakes winner Bradsell.
Trueshan can extend unbeaten Ascot record
My staying star TRUESHAN can continue his love affair with Ascot when he returns for the Group 3 Longines Sagaro Stakes (3.15) on a mouth-watering Trials Day on Wednesday.
I’ve been lucky enough to win three Long Distance Cups over the same 2m on Alan King’s wonderful seven-year-old, who can make it four-from-four at the Berkshire track.
There’s no getting away from how disappointed we were with his defeat by the re-opposing Rajinsky in the Listed Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham last month, but it wasn’t exactly a bad run and Alan felt he just needed it.
He should be sharper now and the forecast soft ground means he will have his ideal conditions. We’re nicely drawn in stall 3 and, as usual, my main objective in the early part of the race will be to get him settled into a nice rhythm.
Trueshan had some tough battles with Coltrane last season, going down by a neck to him in the Doncaster Cup before avenging that defeat on Champions Day. He’s clearly our biggest threat, but we do have the advantage of a recent run.
Bradsell and Hollie Doyle head to the start for the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh
Coventry hero returns in hot sprint
Another horse who evokes special memories of Ascot is Archie Watson’s BRADSELL, who returns from a long-term injury setback in the British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial Conditions Stakes (3.50).
He was brilliant when winning last season’s Group 2 Coventry Stakes over the same 6f at the Royal Meeting and looked to have the world at his feet until injury curtailed his season.
Archie and the team have done a great job to get him ready for the start of the new campaign. He looks great and has been working very nicely in preparation for this red-hot renewal.
I’ve ridden him a few times at home and couldn’t be happier within him at this stage. He’s a really stocky horse, who has strengthened up well, and looks a typical sprinter now.
Action ready for juvenile sprint
We’ve got a very nice juvenile on our hands in ACTION POINT, whose Royal Ascot credentials will be put to the test in the Two-Year-Old Trial Conditions Stakes (2.05).
Archie Watson’s colt made a strong impression when winning on debut at Kempton Park. He’s a scopey horse who does everything very professionally.
His sire Blue Point has made a good start to his stallion career and loved Ascot himself, winning both the King’s Stand and the Diamond Jubilee for Godolphin.
This will be a good measure of his progress, with Alice Haynes’ emphatic Leicester winner Maximum Impact and Andrew Balding’s interesting newcomer Balagh up against us.
Tempus and Hollie Doyle (gold and navy) stretch clear to win at Ascot
Tempus can bounce back in Queen Anne trial
Hambleton Racing’s TEMPUS has run some of his best races at Ascot and takes his chance against some solid performers in the Listed Howden Bloodstock Paradise Stakes (4.25).
This Queen Anne Stakes trial pitches him against My Prospero, who ran well in defeat in the St James’s Palace Stakes and Champion Stakes at Ascot last season.
He’ll be ridden by my husband Tom Marquand and sets a demanding standard. Archie Watson’s seven-year-old ran below expectations at Doncaster last month but won a big handicap over course and distance last season before going on to land two Group 3s, so he’s capable of another bold show.
Later, I ride another Hambleton horse in RAMBUSO CREEK in the closing 5f handicap (5.00).
Kevin Ryan reaches for the cheekpieces for the first time following his reappearance run at Beverley, so hopefully the headgear will have the desired effect.
