Classic-placed runners ready for Royal assignments
A colt and filly who gained places in the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas are fascinating runners for Qatar Racing at Royal Ascot over the next two days.
Blue De Vega, who was third in the colts' Classic, and his Michael O'Callaghan-trained stablemate Now Or Never (pictured below under jockey Kieren Fallon), who took the same spot in the fillies' race, are respectively due to tackle the Gr.3 Tercentenary Stakes tomorrow (15.05) and Gr.1 Coronation Stakes on Friday (16.20).
Looking back at the Irish 2,000 Guineas, O'Callaghan says of Blue De Vega, who is one of nine declared horses in the Tercentenary Stakes: ‚"The ground was not ideal and Colin [Keane] agrees he needs good ground to produce the electric turn of foot he showed last year.‚"
Now Or Never was in season before her run in the Curragh Classic, but it did not affect her negatively, and it was felt she too would have benefited from a quicker surface. O'Callaghan says: ‚"Her best performance to date, in the Guineas trial, was on good ground Kieren said she couldn't quicken up on the soft, but she came out of the race extremely well.‚"
One of 13 fillies who have been declared for the Coronation Stakes, Now Or Never is set to face Jet Setting, who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas, and who on Monday was sold to China Horse Club for £1,300,000 at Goffs' London Sale in association with QIPCO.
Qatar Racing's Pallasator takes his chance in one of the week's highlights, the Gr.1 Ascot Gold Cup in honour of the Queen's 90th birthday, which takes place over two and a half miles tomorrow (16.20). The seven-year-old gelding won at Sandown last month over two miles, and goes into the race in good heart, says trainer Sir Mark Prescott.
‚"He seems in particularly good form and his work has been good,‚" says Sir Mark, who adds: ‚"He has beaten most of the British horses on several occasions, a
lthough the overseas opposition is harder to assess and the favourite [Order Of St George] might be unbeatable if he stays.‚"
Order Of St George won last year's Gr.1 Irish St Leger for Aidan O'Brien's stable, but has yet to race before a mile and three-quarters.Qatar Racing was represented by two runners today Mr Owen (trained by Francois Rohaut) did not have the clearest of runs in the Royal Hunt Cup, and although only 13th of the 28 runners, was not beaten far by winner Portage. Opal Tiara (Mick Channon) finished 17th of 21 runners in the Sandringham Handicap.
Picture of Now Or Never by Laurence Squire