Following the completion of Newmarket’s Qipco Guineas Festival and the return of spectators to the track, racing fans are looking ahead to a huge summer of big races. The Cazoo Oaks and Derby Festival runs over June 4-5th. Every owner, trainer, and jockey wants to win in these major festivals, and whether you're a diehard Jumps man or a died-in-the-wool Flat follower, the top summer festivals are all events to savour.
Until the final November Handicap at Doncaster, there's a compelling rythmn to the Flat calendar and a surety that among those middle distance performers in particular will be a few we'll see over hurdles during the winter months. Ante-post markets are more challenging to create and understand on the Flat, where the top performers can even be maidens catching pigeons at home, but yet to be seen on the racecourse. However, looking at last year’s Royal Ascot results, here are a few potential winners for the flat season ahead:
The market is expecting Indigo Girl to win the Cazoo Oaks on June 4th, the third of the season's Classics. Winner on her debut at Yarmouth last August, she followed up in the Gp II May Hill STakes over the St Leger weekend, before missing out by 1/2l in the Gp I Fillies Mile at Newmarket in early October. Trained by the peerless John Gosden with son Thady, she’s a daughter of Dubawi and owned by George Strawbridge
There's just one local entry for the Oaks in the shape of Martyn Meade's Technique. Beaten a head in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom in mid April, she subsequently ran down the field in a listed race at Lingfield earlier this month. No explanation was given but it may be she acts better on good ground.
Martyn, of course, is based at Manton, with a clutch of well-bred horses primed for Royal Ascot that include Lone Eagle, currently entered in the Derby and King Edward VII Stakes.
Three year old Wordsworth is a full-brother to St Leger winner, Kew Gardens. He belongs to a successful family trained by the Coolmore team behind Aiden O'Brien. He overwintered as a maiden, but broke his duck at the Curragh with something in hand and only went down by a neck to stable companion Sir Lucan in a listed race at Navan earlier this month. Flying Visit, behind Wordsworth on his debut last August, has since won a Group III. He has entries in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot and the Irish Derby at the end of next month.
Ryan Moore expressed how pleased he was by the performance of this Galileo colt. No matter what route he takes, he is a classic candidate for the top tier middle distance races of this season.
Representing the home team from Barbury, Rainbow Dreamer is one of Alan King's older horses that has been running creditably in top handicaps, and his rating has improved at the same rate as his tally. He enjoyed a purple patch from December '19 - February '20, winning four on the bounce, and was beaten just 2 1/2l in last year's Northumberland Plate, a race Alan knows how to win.
He'll be a power to reckon with in middle distance handicaps, and is an interesting entry in the Ascot Gold Cup. After his treble last year, who's to say there isn't further ground to be made on his Flat peers by a man still better known for his jumpers? Expect Barbury candidates to be well represented in races that haven't yet closed for Ascot next month.
Palace Pier is fourth on our list, and should figure in anyone's list of milers to follow. His record since a winning debut in August '19 at Sandown is virtually unblemished, with 7 wins from 8 races, the only blemish being a 3 1/2l beating in the Gp I Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the highlight of British Champions Day. His most recent outing was a pretty effortless vistory in Newbury's Lockinge earlier this month, beating Lady Bowthorpe 1 1/2l.
He is already odds-on ante-post favourite for the Queen Anne, with further entries for the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse.
Also training at nearby Manton, Brian Meehan has promising novice Dawndiva under his tutelage. The three year old filly by Dawn Approach just did enough to win her maiden at Goodwood at the turn of this month, and could reasonably be expected to improve on that performance. She's entered in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot, a sure indication that Meehan considers her in the top grade, and capable of adding to his Manton tally of 6 Group Is.
If you're already regretting the lower grade of races that comes with the earliest months of the Jumps season after the excitements of March and April, then temper that chagrin with the knowledge that Wiltshire will be represented at the top table throughout the emerging Flat campaign. Get ready for some sunshine and speed until our own version of the Grand National at Barbury comes around again.
Following the completion of Newmarket’s Qipco Guineas Festival and the return of spectators to the track, racing fans are looking ahead to a huge summer of big races. The Cazoo Oaks and Derby Festival runs over June 4-5th. Every owner, trainer, and jockey wants to win in these major festivals, and whether you're a diehard Jumps man or a died-in-the-wool Flat follower, the top summer festivals are all events to savour.
Until the final November Handicap at Doncaster, there's a compelling rythmn to the Flat calendar and a surety that among those middle distance performers in particular will be a few we'll see over hurdles during the winter months. Ante-post markets are more challenging to create and understand on the Flat, where the top performers can even be maidens catching pigeons at home, but yet to be seen on the racecourse. However, looking at last year’s Royal Ascot results, here are a few potential winners for the flat season ahead:
The market is expecting Indigo Girl to win the Cazoo Oaks on June 4th, the third of the season's Classics. Winner on her debut at Yarmouth last August, she followed up in the Gp II May Hill STakes over the St Leger weekend, before missing out by 1/2l in the Gp I Fillies Mile at Newmarket in early October. Trained by the peerless John Gosden with son Thady, she’s a daughter of Dubawi and owned by George Strawbridge
There's just one local entry for the Oaks in the shape of Martyn Meade's Technique. Beaten a head in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom in mid April, she subsequently ran down the field in a listed race at Lingfield earlier this month. No explanation was given but it may be she acts better on good ground.
Martyn, of course, is based at Manton, with a clutch of well-bred horses primed for Royal Ascot that include Lone Eagle, currently entered in the Derby and King Edward VII Stakes.
Three year old Wordsworth is a full-brother to St Leger winner, Kew Gardens. He belongs to a successful family trained by the Coolmore team behind Aiden O'Brien. He overwintered as a maiden, but broke his duck at the Curragh with something in hand and only went down by a neck to stable companion Sir Lucan in a listed race at Navan earlier this month. Flying Visit, behind Wordsworth on his debut last August, has since won a Group III. He has entries in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot and the Irish Derby at the end of next month.
Ryan Moore expressed how pleased he was by the performance of this Galileo colt. No matter what route he takes, he is a classic candidate for the top tier middle distance races of this season.
Representing the home team from Barbury, Rainbow Dreamer is one of Alan King's older horses that has been running creditably in top handicaps, and his rating has improved at the same rate as his tally. He enjoyed a purple patch from December '19 - February '20, winning four on the bounce, and was beaten just 2 1/2l in last year's Northumberland Plate, a race Alan knows how to win.
He'll be a power to reckon with in middle distance handicaps, and is an interesting entry in the Ascot Gold Cup. After his treble last year, who's to say there isn't further ground to be made on his Flat peers by a man still better known for his jumpers? Expect Barbury candidates to be well represented in races that haven't yet closed for Ascot next month.
Palace Pier is fourth on our list, and should figure in anyone's list of milers to follow. His record since a winning debut in August '19 at Sandown is virtually unblemished, with 7 wins from 8 races, the only blemish being a 3 1/2l beating in the Gp I Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the highlight of British Champions Day. His most recent outing was a pretty effortless vistory in Newbury's Lockinge earlier this month, beating Lady Bowthorpe 1 1/2l.
He is already odds-on ante-post favourite for the Queen Anne, with further entries for the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse.
Also training at nearby Manton, Brian Meehan has promising novice Dawndiva under his tutelage. The three year old filly by Dawn Approach just did enough to win her maiden at Goodwood at the turn of this month, and could reasonably be expected to improve on that performance. She's entered in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot, a sure indication that Meehan considers her in the top grade, and capable of adding to his Manton tally of 6 Group Is.
If you're already regretting the lower grade of races that comes with the earliest months of the Jumps season after the excitements of March and April, then temper that chagrin with the knowledge that Wiltshire will be represented at the top table throughout the emerging Flat campaign. Get ready for some sunshine and speed until our own version of the Grand National at Barbury comes around again.
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