George Boughey heads to Ascot with some of the most talked-about juveniles so far this year - check out his thoughts on all of them plus some fascinating handicappers to follow.
ASADNA (Coventry Stakes)
"I don’t think we were expecting quite the show that he put on at Ripon. He’d been working on slower ground at home and he actually got a little bit unbalanced too so you can upgrade his performance. I think we’d need to see fast ground to see the best of him at Ascot so the forecast is a little bit iffy at the moment but he’s in good shape and he’s got an amazing constitution.
"He’s a pretty well-set two-year-old, he’s not very big and I’d imagine we’ll be making plenty of use of him as a two-year-old. He’s by Mehmas and he looks to have a similar constitution to his father.
"I’ve seen improvement since Ripon, he’s got a better shine to his colt and everyone who has ridden him has been happy with him. I think in handicaps you look at other horses but in stakes races it comes down to your own horse and he looks in great shape.
"William Buick will ride him, it’s unfortunate for Godolphin not to have a horse in the race but William rides for us when he can and we’re very lucky to have him at Royal Ascot for Asadna."
SOPRANO (Queen Mary Stakes)
"She’d been showing up better than any two-year-old I’ve had here – although it’s only our fourth year. She’d been working with Perdika who had shown already what a good filly she was so to work with her was complement to her ability.
"She worked fine at Chelmsford the other day but has preferred getting back on the turf in Newmarket and we’re really looking forward to seeing her turn up at Ascot. It was the plan to go with one run, I might have liked to have waited another couple of weeks but that allowed us to give her a bit of down time and build her back up for the big day. She’s fit and ready to go, we couldn’t be happier with her.
"The form got a boost in the Hilary Needler at Beverley, it’ll be interesting to see how the one-two from Newmarket go at Ascot as I think Danny Tudhope felt Midnight Affair had been a little bit unlucky first time out. She showed a good turn of foot the other day so it’ll definitely be interesting.
"It’s great to have William to ride her too."
AL DASIM (Commonwealth Cup)
"He was a raw horse when he came, mentally he’s improved a lot and physically he’s changed since the autumn of his two-year-old career. He’s tailor-made for Dubai, that sort of racing on fast ground and he’ll need it quick to show his best at Ascot for sure. Hence he didn’t run at Haydock, but I couldn’t be happier with him either.
"He’s got a big one to beat in Little Big Bear, but we go there with a live each-way chance I hope. There are some good ones at the top of the market and our horse has got to go and prove it now in Europe. He’s a Wolverhampton winner under a double penalty – apart from Dubai – so we go there realistic. Little Big Bear is very much the one to beat, he looks a very hard horse to beat."
BELIEVING (Commonwealth Cup)
"She needs a little bit of work with the stalls before she can go there, she just rearted as the gates opened in the Group 2 in France the other day. She shows pace and she didn’t get home in the Nell Gwyn. Fillies have a very good record in the race and she’s definitely a high-level performer."
CADILLAC (Wolferton Stakes)
"I think he just didn’t turn up on the very soft ground at Newmarket, I didn’t really want to run him to be honest but he needed a run to get going and Ryan Moore looked after him. He looks like he might be better going left-handed but he was second here last year and goes back there in top shape.
"The plan was very much to come for this race again, he had a little bit of a setback in the winter so couldn’t go to Dubai but he’s training very well now."
BARADAR (Buckingham Palace Stakes)
"We got the tactics slightly wrong in the Victoria Cup, the winner was on the far side and if we had stayed over there we might have ended up a bit closer, but he worked well this morning. I’d be hopeful he’ll run a big race at Ascot. He’s shown notably better form on slower ground but he works well on a better surface and we go there with a chance as he’s in good shape."
SPANGLED MAC (Wokingham Stakes)
"He was a bit of an eyecatcher when last seen out in Meydan. It’s touch and go whether he’s going to get in the Wokingham but that’s very much the plan. Six furlongs at Ascot should suit, he ran well in the Shergar Cup there last year. He’ll also have an entry in the Buckingham Palace but if he gets in the Wokingham then he’s a bit of a dark horse. I’m happy with him."
KOY KOY (Buckingham Palace Stakes)
"He was probably my number one chance for the Lincoln through the winter, he’s a very fresh horse and he’s ready to go. He’ll have to run in the Buckingham Palace off his current mark which may be a shade short for him but he’s got course form and that’s key at Ascot on that straight track."
CONCORDE (Golden Gates Stakes)
"He’s progressed even more than we thought he would, the ground is probably key to him though as his work on the fast ground hasn’t been as good as his work on the softer surface in the spring.
"We’re working back from the Golden Gates and I think the step up to 10 furlongs will suit him but we’ll keep an eye on the weather. We’re happy with him though."
TEMPERED SOUL (Britannia Stakes/Golden Gates Stakes)
"It may have been the track at Goodwood last time and he’s not had much racing, but the trip was probably the big thing – he didn’t get home. He might drop all the way back to a mile for the Britannia. He got 3lb for being quite well beaten in the Cocked Hat but he’s worked well and still improving."
NAXOS (Golden Gates Handicap/Britannia Stakes)
"He’s been kept for the race, the Golden Gates – when he won well at Newcastle he basically booked his ticked and has been laid out for it. He’s in the Goffs sale on the Monday of Royal Ascot so may well be changing hands before the race but I couldn’t be happier."
CONQUISTADOR (Palace of Holyrood House Stakes)
"He’s two from two for us since dropping back to sprint trips. I’m very pleased with him – he’ll like fast ground, he’ll like the stiff finish and he just jumps and travels."
DANGER ALERT (Palace of Holyrood House Stakes)
"He’s never looked better in his skin and he goes there working the lights out. I never thought he’d be a 94-rated horse but he’s just improved."
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org
