Five Irish horses to note at Royal Ascot

Buckaroo - Wolferton Stakes, Tuesday

Beaten just a short head by subsequent Irish Derby runner-up Piz Badile in the Ballysax Stakes on his debut last season, Buckaroo looked like an exciting three-year-old when he won the Listed Tetrarch Stakes next time by four lengths.

He only ran once after that last season though, in the Irish 2000 Guineas, in which he finished down the field behind Native Trail.

That obviously wasn’t his true running and, given a nice break after that by trainer Joseph O’Brien, he returned to the track at Leopardstown in April, when he battled on well to beat the top-class filly Homeless Songs by a neck in a thrilling finish to the Listed Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown.

He could only finish fourth last time in the Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp, but that is a Group 1 contest, and he was only beaten a total of a neck by the high-class Anmaat.

He will have to carry a 3lb penalty in the Wolferton, but he is the joint top-rated horse in the race and, more importantly, he should appreciate the drop back into listed company, hot listed race though the Wolferton is shaping up to be. There could be more to come from Joseph O’Brien’s horse now as a four-year-old, and the 10 furlongs of the Wolferton looks like his optimum trip now.

Noche Magica - Norfolk Stakes, Thursday

Noche Magica was impressive in winning his maiden over five furlongs on heavy ground at Cork in April on his racecourse debut, and he stepped forward from that last time when he went down by just a head to Givemethebeatboys in the Marble Hill Stakes over six furlongs at The Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend.

He travelled well through his race that day towards the far side of the main group, he was the only horse who was still on the bridle as they raced inside the two-furlong marker, and he picked up smartly when Billy Lee asked him to. He hit the front inside the furlong marker and he looked set for victory, he traded at 1.13 in-running, but his run flattened out close home and he was just caught by Coventry Stakes aspirant Givemethebeatboys, going down by a head in the end.

It was still a big run by Paddy Twomey’s colt, and it is interesting that the trainer is set to step him back down in trip now to five furlongs for the Norfolk Stakes. His dam won over five furlongs, and she is a half-sister to Queen Mary winner Anthem Alexander, and to Palace House Stakes winner and King’s Stand Stakes runner-up Dandy Man, out of Molecomb Stakes winner Lady Alexander. There is deep speed in Noche Magica’s pedigree, and a stiff five furlongs could be ideal.

Jumbly - Duke of Cambridge Stakes, Wednesday

Winner of a Group 3 race over Ascot’s round mile last July on her final run for Harry & Roger Charlton, Jumbly shaped encouragingly on her first run for Joseph O’Brien at The Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend in finishing second behind Just Beautiful in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes.

She raced back in the field that day but, moved to the outside at the two-furlong marker, she picked up well and she stayed on strongly down the near, away from the inside rail, to finish a good second, three parts of a length in front of the talented older mare Insinuendo.

She should come on for that run, her first since last July and her first for her new trainer. We know that she goes well at the track, and on fast ground at the track, and she could be set for a big run.

Emily Dickinson - Gold Cup, Thursday

A close-up fifth in the St Leger and a closer-up fourth in the Prix de Royallieu last season, Emily Dickinson was seriously impressive when she stepped up to two miles for the first time and won the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes at The Curragh last October on her final run last term.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly stepped forward from that on her debut this season too, when she won the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan, hitting the front on the run to the furlong marker and coming away from a talented rival in French Claim on the climb to the line (replay below).

You have to forgive her her defeat in the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown last time, but she wasn’t suited by the lack of pace that day, nor by the fact that she had to make her own running.

A lot of her good form is on easy ground, but she handled good to firm ground well when she was a staying-on third behind Sea La Rosa in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood last July. She has followed the path this season that her stable companion Kyprios followed before he won the Gold Cup last season, and it may be that a step up to two and a half miles will bring about further improvement.

Ocean Quest - Commonwealth Cup, Friday

Ocean Quest was allowed go off at 10/1 for the Listed Committed Stakes at Navan on her debut this season, but she ran out an impressive winner, quickening up smartly on the far side and coming right away from the stable companions Aesop’s Fables and The Antarctic.

They made The Antarctic favourite to exact his revenge in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes at Naas next time, and he duly did, but Ocean Quest ran a big race in defeat. She was drawn high that day, she raced on the near side for most of the race in a group of five, and she had to do a lot of running on her own on the stands side. She came clear of the four others who raced in her group, and she got to within a head of The Antarctic, who made all the running against the far rail from stall two.

It was a big run by Jessica Harrington’s filly, and the form of the race received a nice boost on Thursday evening at Leopardstown when the third-placed filly Ocean Jewel ran out an impressive winner of the Ballycorus Stakes.

Very fast ground would be an unknown for her, but she handles good ground well, and her hold-up style of racing should be well-suited to Ascot’s straight track.

www.donnmcclean.com

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