Wednesday of Royal Ascot is in some ways the most crucial of the five in this era, with the G1 Prince of Wales's S. probably now the meeting's most significant prize. This year, it is graced by a genuine dignitary in Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}). By far his sire's most important runner from his vital first crop, Anthony Oppenheimer's latest homebred prodigy has grown in stature with every racecourse experience. It is fair to say that he vastly exceeded expectations when stamping his class on the G1 Qipco Champion S. over this course and distance in October, but whereas it was damp underfoot that day the turf this time will ride as fast as he has ever had it. Electric on a sound surface on his seasonal debut in the G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp Apr. 29, it is only when he drops down into that Frankelesque gallop in the straight that we will truly find out where he is at in a 2018 that promises so much from him. His latest endeavours in Epsom's G1 Coronation Cup at the start of the month have introduced a slither of doubt, but he had valid excuses for that mainly laboured effort and his eventual wresting of victory from the jaws of defeat there can also be taken as an indication of his increasing maturity. The betting certainly suggests maximum confidence and his main rivals Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) and Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) may not even be their stable's best older horses.
“I hope he will be the star attraction, but you can never tell,” Oppenheimer said. “It is bit firmer than it was on Champions Day, so we will see what happens, but hopefully it will be the same result.” Gosden added, “The horse was a little bit at sea all the time at Epsom, but he did whack his head in the stalls. He seems happy at the moment. After this we will have a nice wait until the King George.”
Martyn Meade, who now resides at Manton, has had to perform a magic trick to get the promising Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) back in top condition after his baffling display when fifth in Chester's G2 Huxley S. May 11. The racecourse vet reported him to have a fibrillating heart immediately afterward, but there were no lasting ill-effects for last year's G1 Irish Champion S. third who always promised to become a leading performer at four. “I think he's better on fast ground so I think the ground will suit him, it was quick in France when he won [the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano] and in the Craven,” Meade commented. O'Brien said of 'TDN Rising Star' Cliffs of Moher, “He came on well from his first run this year to his second and we think he has progressed again since [finishing runner-up in] the Tattersalls Gold Cup.”
Charlie Appleby puts blinkers on the mercurial G1 Eclipse S. and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy), who was one of a few to disappoint in a strange renewal of the Coronation Cup. “We were slightly disappointed with Hawkbill's run at Epsom, as he had his ground there,” his trainer said. “He is becoming more versatile as he gets older and has put up decent performances on quick ground as well as soft ground. He's come out of the race very well and Hawkbill is Hawkbill–when he brings his A game, he is a hard horse to pass.”
Chelsea Latest Ward Sensation?
The action kicks off with another Wesley Ward-Frankie Dettori show as arguably the trainer's chief juvenile hope and 'TDN Rising Star' Chelsea Cloisters (First Samurai) takes up the mantle of favouritism in the G2 Queen Mary S. Ward's percentage strike-rate here is incredible, but the days when his winners were greeted with open mouths are now long gone. Instead, it is more a case of open wallets whenever the Washington-born sensation turns up. “She would be the best of the fillies we're bringing this year,” Ward said of the impressive Apr. 19 Keeneland maiden special weight winner. “This is a race I've gotten lucky in a few different times and this filly looks like she's suited for that type of race. It looks like we're going to have fast ground, which will suit me, and everything looks really positive.”
Clive Cox and Adam Kirby teamed up 12 months ago to upset the seemingly unbeatable Happy Like a Fool (Distorted Humor) with the relatively diminutive Heartache (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) and that increasingly successful trainer-jockey partnership are back again with the impressive course-and-distance winner Shades of Blue (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Fellow 'TDN Rising Star' So Perfect (Scat Daddy) lines up for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, who also have the favourite for the following G2 Queen's Vase in Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He will provide the first clues as to the merit of this year's G1 Epsom Derby, having finished ninth there after helping to force the pace but he is no certainty to better even his own stablemates Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Southern France (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Hydrangea Class of Cambridge…
Whatever the outcome of that recently revamped staying test, the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. looks a straightforward case of is Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at enough of a peak to deal with a collection of smart but not top-class fillies. Last year's G1 Matron S. and G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine has had an outing to sharpen her when second in the G2 Ridgewood Pearl S. at The Curragh May 26 and the only rival who comes close to that standard is Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar's 2017 runner-up Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal), but she has yet to even place in the highest company. “I was very happy with how she ran at The Curragh on her return, as we knew she was going to need the run very badly,” O'Brien said of Hydrangea. “She has come on really well since then.”
In the prestigious Royal Hunt Cup, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Afaak (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is just favourite in a typically competitive renewal and he means a lot to his owner-breeder as a son of his G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Coronation S. heroine Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway).
Tatts Toppers Meet In Jersey…
The closing G3 Jersey S., which has been moved from first to last race on the card this year, is hotly-contested as usual with Charlie Appleby fitting blinkers to the 2.6-million gns Tattersalls October joint-topper Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Racing in the maroon-and-white silks of Sheikh Mohammed which began to grace this meeting back in the eighties, they now represent Sheikha Al Jalila Racing and he holds claims on his latest third in the G3 Prix de Guiche at Chantilly May 7.
Fascinatingly, John Gosden saddles Shadwell's 'TDN Rising Star' Emaraaty (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who shared top billing at Book One with Glorious Journey two years ago. He failed by a short head to give 10 pounds to the re-opposing Society Power (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) in a competitive seven-furlong handicap at Goodwood last time May 26 and there was a reason his trainer tried him in the G1 Dewhurst S. in October. James McDonald partners Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) for Khalid Abdullah and Sir Michael Stoute and he bids to arrest a general decline since his scintillating performance when winning the G2 Vintage S. at Glorious Goodwood last July.
The Jersey also features the Ballydoyle pair of St Patrick's Day (Pioneerof The Nile) and Could It Be Love (War Front), a full-brother to American Pharoah and half-sister to Uncle Mo and the latter has Classic form, having been caught close home when second in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh on May 27. “We think the shorter trip will suit her,” Aidan O'Brien said of her. “She ran a very good race in the Irish 1000 Guineas under a good, positive ride from Donnacha and coming back in distance should be a help to her.”
Different Year, Same League…
Elsewhere, Con and Theresa Marnane and Matthieu Palussiere bid to continue their incredible start with their 2018 juveniles in the Queen Mary with the unbeaten Forever In Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead). They surprised many when capturing the Albany last year with Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), but their representatives will be respected this time. Overbury Stud's first-season sire Kuroshio (Aus) supplies a live contender for the five-furlong 2-year-old fillies dash in the Sandown novice stakes scorer Kurious (GB), while No Nay Never's May 20 Listed Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. winner Servalan (Ire) is another from Jessie Harrington's stable with its burgeoning reputation as a source of classy flat performers.
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