Charlie Johnston believes Ancient Egypt can finally gain the big race victory his recent efforts on the track deserve in the Christophe Clement Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday.
The son of Frankel will bid to go one better than on his last two starts in the mile and a half Grade One contest, which was claimed 12 months ago by fellow British raider El Cordobes from the yard of Charlie Appleby.
Since finding the soft ground not his liking in the Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs, the Amo Racing Ltd-owned colt has finished a battling second in both the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group One Cygames Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
And Johnston is confident that a repeat of either of those efforts could be good enough to see Ancient Egypt bag the $750,000 prize.
He said: “Ancient Egypt left home on Thursday night and landed in New York on Friday morning. He shipped up to Saratoga, and by all accounts he has travelled over well.
“It will be a much tighter track than he has ever raced on before, so getting an early position will be pretty key, but he is a straightforward horse and I’m looking forward to it.
“After he ran so well in the Grand Prix de Paris we looked at the options, but there are no mile and a half Group Ones in Britain or Ireland left this year and I didn’t really fancy taking him to Germany on bad ground. It was basically a case of going to the Great Voltigeur or going to America. We felt that for his profile a win in a Grade One in America would be much more valuable to him so that is the way we went.
“He has done everything right without winning the last twice. Both runs have been hugely pleasing, and we have been very proud of him, but it is just very frustrating that on both occasions tight finishes have gone against him. He has shown on fast ground that he is a genuine mile and a half Grade One horse. Let’s hope he can complete the task on Saturday.”
Not only would victory for Ancient Egypt on his next start be a first at the top table, but it would give him a slot at the Breeders’ Cup with the race doubling up as a ‘Win and You’re In’ contest for the prestigious meeting at Keeneland in October.
He added: “In the event that he did win then that might put the Breeders’ Cup on the table, but I think we would bring him home and ship him back out again for that.
“I would imagine he would be shipping home after the race as opposed to staying out there for a long period of time.
A drop down to Listed company for a tilt at the Virgin Bet Chester Stakes at the Roodee on August 22nd beckons for stablemate Lazy Griff following his below par effort last time out in the Group One Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
And should all goes well at Chester for the son of Protectionist it could reignite his chances of appearing in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh next month.
He said: “Lazy Griff was obviously disappointing at Goodwood. It was a bit of a strange race. Beforehand you would have been fairly certain that you knew exactly how it would pan out. You would have Trawlerman going forward, Illinois would sit second, and we would slot in behind them. Sure enough Amiloc gets loose, and Trawlerman misses the break, and it was all fairly chaotic after that.
“One thing I would never have predicted was him being keen. He was over racing for most of the first six to eight furlongs. Whether that was enough to explain the performance or not I’m not entirely sure. He seems to have come out of the race fine.
“The plan at the moment is to go to Chester later this month for a mile and six furlong Listed race and, if he can run well there, then the Irish St Leger could be back on the table.
“The Irish St Leger is the race we always thought would be best for him.”
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