Charlie Johnston believes Ancient Egypt will have plenty in his favour when attempting to secure a breakthrough victory at the top level in the Canadian International at Woodbine on Saturday.
The son of Frankel has been sent on his travels once again to take aim at the $750,000 Grade One prize, which has been claimed by British-trained runners for the past five renewals, in a bid to register his second success of the campaign.
After filing the runner-up spot in both the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, the Amo Racing-owned colt left connections slightly frustrated when finishing fourth in the Grade One Christophe Clement Stakes at Saratoga.
However, Johnston is confident that Ancient Egypt can leave that effort behind and show his tree colours around a track he expects to play to his strengths on conditions that should be right up his street.
Johnston said: “He missed the break a little bit at Saratoga, but he just didn’t have that speed in the first 100 yards to get into a good position. If there was one place I didn’t want to be with a circuit to run was last on the rail - it is a very tight track there. Once he was on the back foot in a slowly-run race, poorly positioned and over-racing a little bit, I knew it was going to be tough, but he wasn’t beaten far.
“We toyed with the idea of going to Ireland for the Kilternan Stakes, but we decided against that and instead headed for this as it became clear this was the obvious race. He landed over there on Friday and it's all systems go.
“This track will suit him a lot better as it is a lot more European-style track as it is a big, galloping track that is a mile and a half around. Touch wood we get fast ground there. Although we left Saratoga a bit underwhelmed and we'd hoped for more, those that crunched the numbers would tell you it was right up there with the form of his previous two runs."
Should Ancient Egypt finally gain the Grade One triumph his talent suggests he is capable of achieving, Johnston admits it could prove hard to resist sending him on a trip to next month’s Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.
Johhnston added: “Were he to win it would be too tempting not to stay out there and go for the Breeders’ Cup.
"My concern with that would be that it would be going back to a Saratoga-style track, where early pace and tactical speed are the most crucial weapons, and they probably aren’t his strengths.
“If he did win next weekend it would be job done and roll-the-dice territory.”
And although Johnston is focussing purely on Ancient Egypt’s up and coming outing, he is already looking forward to next summer with the Listed winner.
Johnston said: "It is very much the plan for him to be with me next year. All being well we can look at the King George, Hardwicke and Coronation Cup with him. He is a very exciting horse for next year.
"But, having run so well in defeat at Ascot and in France, it would be nice to get a big one in before we pulled up stumps for the year."
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