Royal Ascot
There simply isn’t a better five days of Flat racing anywhere in the world. It all starts on Tuesday 17 June with three Gr1 races – the Queen Anne Stakes, the King Charles III Stakes and the St James’s Palace Stakes – taking centre stage on the opening day.
There are another five top-level races in the following four days.
The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Wednesday), the Gold Cup (Thursday), Commonwealth Cup (Friday), Coronation Stakes (Friday) and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Saturday) are complimented by a whole host of supporting Group races and some of the most competitive handicaps of the season.
Carl Spackler and Satono Reve headlined the action on Newmarket’s July Course on Wednesday morning as contenders put the finishing touches on their preparations for Royal Ascot.
Carl Spackler and Jamie Spencer (Pic -John Hoy)
US turf heavyweight Carl Spackler impressed in his gallop under Jamie Spencer, with the five-year-old set to make his debut for Australian handler Ciaron Maher in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes.
Carl Spackler recorded his third G1 success for Chad Brown at Keeneland in April, after which he was purchased by Yulong Investments with a view to Royal Ascot and a spring campaign Down Under.
The son of Lope De Vega shipped directly from the US to Newmarket, leaving Sydney-based Maher in the unusual position of preparing a runner for Royal Ascot who has yet to set foot in his stable.
Will Bourne, Maher’s Head of Bloodstock, said: “We came here wanting to have a hit out. This was Carl Spackler’s second gallop since arriving in Newmarket. He came over here in good condition from Chad Brown, weighing about 525kg.
After the feedback from Jamie Spencer from his first gallop, we came here today and achieved exactly what we wanted to. Jamie said when he gave him a squeeze late, he really exploded, and Jamie was really impressed by how much he has switched on since the first gallop.
“It is a very unique scenario to purchase a horse from America, to be trained by an Australian, to run at Royal Ascot. I think his biggest challenge will be the conditions and the track. A stiff mile at Ascot is a big ask coming from America, although his times out there really stack up and, thanks to his temperament, he is the perfect horse to travel. He is an absolute dude, like a kid’s pony.
“The Queen Anne Stakes is going to be a red-hot race. There is no hiding place in a Group 1 race at Royal Ascot and you would never get an easy field. We think Carl Spackler is a pretty good horse and hopefully he can show up on Tuesday.
James McDonald (Pic – HKJC)
“James McDonald has had a lot of luck in these colours with Via Sistina, and he has ridden winners at Royal Ascot before, so it was a good fit for everybody. It is always nice to have a world-class jockey on your horse in a Group 1. James has had a look at the horse’s tapes and is very excited about him.
“Royal Ascot is a great carnival. It is similar when you speak to English trainers and owners coming down for the Melbourne Cup, they love the buzz of the whole week, and it is the same for us coming here. It is a world-class stage and for Yulong to entrust us with the horse is amazing.
“The long-term plan is to bring Carl Spackler back to Australia for the Cox Plate and we would be thrilled to take the Queen Anne Stakes on the way through. We may also look at Goodwood as well, depending how next week goes.”
