Frankie Dettori will arrive for his final day at Royal Ascot in the grandest possible fashion as part of the royal procession.
The 52-year-old has bounced back from a disappointing first day when he went winless and picked up a nine-day suspension – which he is appealing – to enjoy some spectacular successes, including the Gold Cup aboard Courage Mon Ami.
Dettori and his wife, Catherine, are in carriage four with Jamie Snowden and his wife, Lucy.
His book of rides on Saturday sees Covey as favourite for the Jersey Stakes, Free Wind a short price in the Hardwicke, Kinross fancied in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and Knockbrex the market leader in the Golden Gates Handicap. He also rides Mums Tipple in the Wokingham.
Former senior Reggae Girlz captain Konya Plummer expectedly worked her way back to full fitness to book her spot on Lorne Donaldson's 23-player squad to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next month.
In fact, there were no real surprises to the selections made by Donaldson and his assistants Xavier Gilbert, Ak Lakhani and Laura Thomas, as all the main protagonists –many of whom were a part of the historic 2019 team in France –will be present at this July 20 to August 20 showpiece.
Obviously, form was a big decisive factor in the squad selection and Donaldson, in a previous interview, made that very clear, though in the same breath, he admitted that he had 18 or 19 players locked in, which meant he only had four or five positions to fill.
Donaldson ideally kept a large bulk of the Cup of Nations squad for team harmony purposes, especially since he stressed the need for cohesiveness, so there were only a few changes from that 24 that went down under in February.
Goalkeepers Rebecca Spencer, Sydney Schneider, and their 17-year-old understudy Liya Brooks, who seem found the liking of Donaldson and his assistants since their historic tour of South Korea in September last year, were always safe.
So too was Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Tiernny Wiltshire, Deneisha Blackwood, and Vyan Sampson in the defensive line, along with midfielders Havana Solaun, Drew Spence, Solai Washington, Atlanta Primus, and attackers Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Cheyna Matthews, and Kameron Simmonds.
Simmonds, 19, and Washington, 17, have consistently been logging minutes since the Cup of Nations tournament in Australia and as expected, found favour with the coaching staff as they are viewed as players who can add flexibility to the attacking front.
Both are relatively inexperienced but were effective in those games against Czech Republic, Australia, and more recently Sheffield and these World Cup debutants could be difference-makers from the bench.
At one point there were concerns that Donaldson's faith in Trudi Carter reduced as the months go by, and it was evident by her omission from the camp in England. However, the nippy attacker, currently without a club since her contract with Spanish Liga F club FC Levante Las Planas expired, proved her readiness at a just-concluded camp in Jamaica.
Ohio State midfielder Peyton McNamara, who, like the other young players, always commanded the coaching staff's attention and the 22-year-old was rightly handed a spot, especially with Siobhan Wilson of Birmingham City, missing out due to injury.
Sashana "Pete" Campbell, who wasn't called upon since she picked up an injury at the Concacaf Women's Championship in Mexico, reported fit and healthy for the recent camp and made the cut, as an emergency alternative to fill the centre back or full back positions, if needed.
That said, a lot of emphasis was placed on the readiness of Plummer and the 25-year-old, who only resumed training late last year, after giving birth to her son, erased all doubts about her readiness for a second-consecutive World Cup appearance, as she hit competitive mode at the right time to make a return to the squad in the heart of the defence.
Versatility was always expected to be a characteristic held in high regard if players want to go the distance at the global showpiece and Tiffany Cameron is a perfect example, given her ability as an attacker and now as a right full back.
It is that show of versatility that secured Cameron's place in the final 23.
Prior to the Cup of Nations tournament, Cameron did not get many minutes, until she accepted the fact that she would not make the squad as an attacker.
Despite logging over 14 goals and 10 assists in over 15 games for her Hungarian top-flight club FC Gyor, Cameron, who could be considered an important leader in the Reggae Girlz group, embraced change and made the right full back position her comfort zone. She is expected to rotate the position with Wiltshire and possibly Chantelle Swaby.
Donaldson beamed about the makeup of the squad, pointing out that players, Plummer, Carter and Campbell, in particular, selected themselves.
"We always try to pick the best possible squad, things changed along the way with injuries and so on, but the players consistently turned up and proved to us that they were worthy of their positions. Konya and Trudi came in and did well, two veteran players, we know what they were capable of I didn't select them, they selected themselves because even though they are without clubs, they committed themselves to the task by training on their own and did very well when they came into camp," Donaldson told SportsMax.tv.
"It is basically the same for the young players, they did well camp after camp, they proved they belong among the veterans, and we had no choice but to put them in. Their fitness was also on par, and we have no doubt that they will give a good account of themselves," he added.
Meanwhile, Kayla McKenna, formerly McCoy, who missed out on the 2019 showpiece at the very last minute due to injury, has now been given another shot, as she has been doing well with Scottish Women’s Premier League Club Rangers.
"Kayla again, is a veteran she picked up an injury when we were in England, but we have been in contact with her club, and they assured us that she will be ready for the World Cup. She is one of those players who brings value to the attack as a point player so we know she will do well," Donaldson noted.
"Where Campbell is concerned, she is a very versatile player, who can give us quality work in any position between defence and attack. So, if she if she is needed, we can have her come in because she has a lot of quality. So, we feel like it's a very balanced squad, Trudi, Jody and Vyan are also versatile, so it's a squad we like, and we just have to wait and see what happens," he shared.
Racing Louisville's Satara Murray and Brighton's Victoria Williams missed out on selection along with Rachel Jones, and 2019 veterans Chinyelu Asher and Marlo Sweatman, both of whom have been absent from the squad for quite some time. Mireya Grey and Olufolasade Adamolekun, who were also present in France, also failed to make the cut.
The Girlz will contest Group F alongside France, Brazil and Panama at the World Cup.
World Cup Squad: Goalkeepers: Rebecca Spencer, Sydney Schneider, Liya Brooks
Defenders: Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Tiernny Wiltshire, Tiffany Cameron, Deneisha Blackwood, Peyton McNamara, Sashana Campbell (Alternate player)
Midfielders: Havana Solaun, Vyan Sampson, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Solai Washington, Trudi Carter
Forwards: Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Kameron Simmonds, Cheyna Matthews, Kalyssa Van Zanten, Kayla McKenna
Trainer Denis Hogan has lodged an appeal against the decision to suspend his licence for three months and his €5,000 fine after one of his horses tested positive for a prohibited substance.
Ballyadam Destiny showed elevated levels of triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) and dexamethasone after winning at Galway last October.
Dr Lynn Hillyer, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board chief veterinary officer, stated in a report published on Friday that Hogan had been advised not to run his horse for 40 days after being treated by his vet, Donncha Houlihan.
Hogan accepted the findings in the report, stating he had mistaken the withdrawal period due to an administration error and has now employed additional staff as well as putting new measures in place to avoid a reoccurrence.
It is the fourth time in the previous five years a horse of Hogan’s has failed a post-race drugs test – including point-to-points. His ban is due to begin on August 1.
Hogan said: “We have lodged an appeal, while we have the appeal in, I don’t want to say too much.
“I was shocked and it took me a day or two to digest (the findings) but it is what it is now and we’ll have to make the best of it. I haven’t thought beyond August 1 and will have to speak to my solicitor and see what he thinks and take it from there.”
King Of Steel gained compensation for his Derby near miss when storming to an impressive victory in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Roger Varian’s lightly-raced son of Wootton Bassett produced a tremendous effort on just his third start when touched off by Auguste Rodin at Epsom and confirmed the promise of that performance in the hands of Kevin Stott at the Berkshire track.
Dubai Mile led from Artistic Star in the early stages, with John and Thady Gosden’s Arrest keen in the hands of Frankie Dettori. But an ultra-confident Stott was in no rush and happy to bide his time aboard the 11-10 favourite, anchoring the King Of Steel in rear.
Stott asked his mount to improve as the six-strong field rounded the turn for home and having made stylish progress to the front, he soon defied momentary greenness to put the race to bed in fine style.
The rider, who was enjoying the his third Royal Ascot winner and first as retained rider for owner Amo Racing, was able to salute the crowd as he crossed the line three and a half lengths clear of Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous who kept on well for second, with Artistic Star a further two and a half lengths back in third.
It was a second winner of the week for Amo and also for the trainer, who struck on day one with Royal Champion, but has since seen big fancies Eldar Eldarov and Sakheer turned over and was making a welcome return visit to the winner’s enclosure.
Varian said: “It’s relief, when they run so well in the Derby you want them to back it up. We were confident he would but we know horse racing! It’s a tough game.
“He’d come out of the Derby so well, he’s such an agile horse and he’s got a great constitution. He’s never left an oat since the Derby, he’s been training super.
“I tried to put into the back of my mind that it was the Derby because we all know they can bounce after their effort at Epsom. I just went on the signs the horse was giving us, which were great.
“Raul Da Silva has done a wonderful job riding this horse most mornings, and the whole team at home. I’m delighted for Kia (Joorabchian of Amo), I was delighted he got his winner yesterday to take a bit of the pressure off for us!
“I’m delighted for the horse, he’s a super horse and he confirmed today what he did in the Derby which is very satisfying.”
Connections had been eyeing the Grand Prix de Paris as a next port of call, and Varian added: “That’s what we’d like to do, but we all know horses so we’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
Stott admitted he had felt the pressure following King Of Steel’s Derby run.
He said: “From the first time I sat on him at Roger’s, he’s always given me a lovely feel. I remember coming home and saying to Meg (Nicholls, agent and partner) that I was really excited about this horse.
“Not running in the Dante, I was a bit disappointed because I wanted to see if he was what I felt at home.
“His run in the Derby was incredible, so coming here obviously there was a huge amount of pressure on me and Roger.
“He was a bit keen, we didn’t go overly quick. We could easily drop him back if we had to, he’s got plenty of speed and in four strides he put the race to bed. It’s brilliant for everyone here.”
A pre-dawn wake up call and a fumbled start could not prevent Shaquille from securing a landmark success for connections in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
The three-year-old was homebred by his co-owner Martin Hughes and is trained counties away in Norton, North Yorkshire, by Julie Camacho.
He was loaded into the gates a 9-1 chance for the six-furlong Group One, middling odds that began to look far too short as he bounced upwards in his stall instead of outwards and let the field gain lengths on him from the off.
A little mischief has never been beyond the bay, who had only been beaten once prior to the Royal meeting but has looked a handful on both sides of the starter’s rostrum.
The phrase ‘pulled hard’ and ‘took a keen hold’ appear in the descriptions of almost all of his races, but under Oisin Murphy he was able to settle into a rhythm at the rear of the pack as the jostling took place ahead of him.
A few furlongs in he was gaining ground and looked like he might run into a place, but once he began to gun for Little Big Bear, the leader and 10-11 favourite, he dug deeper and deeper still to triumph by a length and a quarter.
The victory is hugely significant for Camacho and her husband and assistant Steve Brown, whose greatest success beforehand was the Group Three honours gained by Judicial, another sprinter, in the Chipchase Stakes and the Coral Charge.
“I watched it on my own, I was very nervous actually. I started to feel a bit sick and very nervous!” she said.
Of his steady start, the trainer added: “I thought well that’s it, isn’t it? He’s blown his chance. I’ve just watched it live and I’d like to go back and watch it properly but he was good, wasn’t he?
“It’s massive, we never thought we’d train a Group One winner, not at Royal Ascot anyway. For Martin (Hughes) it’s massive, he bred him, he’s got his mother at home and his siblings. Dad (Maurice, former trainer) looks after the stud and I’m sure he was screaming at home.
“When he started to run on I thought ‘oh he’s going to be place, he’s going to run a big race’.
“Then ‘oh my god, he’s going to win!’. I’m a bit speechless actually.”
Camacho, who does not seek out the limelight, reluctantly went up to collect the trophy as Brown pondered how good the horse could be with a neat start and a smooth passage.
He said: “I still maintain that we haven’t brought him racing and seen him do everything right, it’s fascinating. We’re enjoying the journey and hoping for a few more, he’s in the July Cup.
“It’s a good story. You come hoping, don’t you? We’re all dreamers and you’ve got to be in this game. We fed him at three o’clock this morning so he could have a smooth journey down, we didn’t want to bring him overnight as he’s never stayed overnight. We wanted him to sleep in his own bed and he left at quarter past four this morning.
“I think the making of him has been a paddock for him, every evening stables now he’s turned out and it’s just brought such a change about in him.
“He wouldn’t have walked around the paddock like he did before, he just goes out there and puts his head down – it’s made a huge difference to him and though it’s punchy for a colt, I’m so glad we did it.”
Chris Hayes celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner as Tahiyra landed the odds in the Coronation Stakes.
Veteran trainer Dermot Weld has made no secret of the regard in which he holds the filly and having gone down narrowly in the Newmarket Guineas, she made amends in the Irish equivalent.
With her Newmarket conqueror Mawj absent on this occasion, it was left to Meditate to take the field along but Ryan Moore set only a steady pace with Tahiyra settled in last.
Not surprisingly the field bunched up two furlongs out, with Tahiyra needing to pass them all and while she came across the eventual second Remarquee when quickening up, the result was confirmed after a stewards’ inquiry.
Tahiyra (8-13 favourite) crossed the line a length clear of Remarquee, with Sounds Of Heaven a further head back in third.
Weld saddled his first Royal Ascot winner 50 years ago with Klairvimy in the 1973 King Edward VII Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien offered no excuses for Little Big Bear’s defeat as he finished second to Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup.
Sent off one of the shortest-priced favourites of the week at odds of 10-11, he grabbed the lead entering the final furlong but was run down late by Julie Camacho’s improver, who had also missed the break badly by rearing when the stalls opened.
Little Big Bear was last year’s champion juvenile but having finished last when tried over a mile in the 2000 Guineas first time out, he seems set to stick to sprinting for the time being, with O’Brien eyeing a possible rematch with the winner in the July Cup.
The Ballydoyle handler said: “He ran very well. Ryan (Moore) was delighted with the run. It was a very good run. He just got beaten by a better horse on the day.
“I don’t know where he’ll go. It could be the July Cup or something like that. It was only his second sprint, so we’ll see.
“I think the winner missed the break, but he usually makes the running. I think he’s an out-and-out sprinter, so we will train him for the July Cup.”
Karl Burke’s Swingalong was third at 66-1, a return to the form she showed as a juvenile.
“It was a great run. Delighted she got that Group One placing – it is so important for a filly,” Burke said.
“She was a Lowther winner and she’s a good filly. She wasn’t right in France (when last in the French 1000 Guineas) and would not have won at any trip in France, although she didn’t stay the mile. I don’t know what went wrong there.
“After that we gave her plenty of time to come back and we were always targeting this. I said to the guys that I could see her running a big race and be third or fourth and that’s what she has done, so we’re delighted.
“We are thinking more Prix Maurice de Gheest than July Cup. She was not stopping and was third over seven (furlongs) first time out in the Guineas trial and she stayed that well. I think six and a half will be very nice for her.”
Roger Varian was at a loss to explain Sakheer’s lacklustre run, however. The 17-2 shot came home last of the 13 runners.
“It’s mystifying at the moment and we’re obviously all very disappointed,” Varian told ITV Racing.
“He was a bit slow from the gates, he travelled well through halfway and David (Egan) was happy, he took a peek to the other side to see how they were going.
“But then he very quickly emptied out and his stride shortened when he let him down.
“His initial reaction was that the ground felt too firm and he didn’t let himself down.
“He pulled up sound and looks fine, we’ll carry out all the usual post-race checks. At the moment we are scratching our heads but something might come to light. Obviously it wasn’t his true form.”
Since 1930, Sabina Park has hosted a total of 101 international matches. Only Trinidad & Tobago’s Queen’s Park Oval with 139 and Barbados’ Kensington Oval with 123 have hosted more.
Sabina Park hasn’t hosted international cricket since the West Indies took on Ireland in three ODIs in January last year.
Taking it a step further, the ground hasn’t hosted any regional cricket since 2019. That year was also the last time Sabina Park hosted a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) game.
In an appearance on the Mason & Guest radio show on Tuesday, former Jamaica and West Indies off spinner, Nehemiah Perry, said that while local cricket is being played at the ground from time to time, the lack of international matches is concerning.
“We still have our local cricket and we’re having some Dream 11 T10 games coming up there but the real issue is that there is no international cricket being played at Sabina Park,” Perry said.
“I remember the days gone when we were talking about a Test series coming to the Caribbean, there were some grounds that you knew were going to get games like Sabina Park, Kensington Oval, Queen’s Park Oval etc. For about two years now, we haven’t had any international cricket at Sabina Park. We also haven’t had any regional cricket there for some time now,” he added.
As of late, the ground has been used mainly as a venue for hosting parties as well as football matches. For the last few years, it has served as the host for finals in competitions like the Jamaica Premier League, Manning Cup and ISSA Champions Cup to name a few.
“It has been turned into a place of parties and football. We need income to maintain the field and Kingston Cricket Club because that club is really the owner of Sabina Park and the JCA owns the stands,” he said.
“When you don’t get international cricket, there’s no revenue coming in from the ground because there’s no advertising. Members of the Kingston Cricket Club are leaving because there’s nothing happening at Sabina Park and I’m very concerned,” he added.
With the T20 World Cup coming to the West Indies next year, Senior Manager of Cricket West Indies, Roland Holder, neither confirmed nor denied whether or not Jamaica have made a bid to host any matches at the tournament.
He did, however, say that “every venue is under consideration.”
“I believe the bids are all in and a determination is being made as we speak as to who gets what and the various packages etc. I’m not intimately involved in the World Cup so I can’t say too much about it, apart from that it’s next year,” Holder said.
Shaquille produced a remarkable performance to provide Julie Camacho with her first winner at Royal Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup.
The three-year-old arrived on the crest of a wave having won his last four races but all hope looked to have gone when he reared up on leaving the stalls.
Three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy did not panic though, and by halfway he was back in contention but it remained to be seen if his early exertions had taken their toll.
The hot favourite Little Big Bear hit the front on entering the final furlong but Shaquille (9-1) was creeping into it and when Murphy asked for everything, there was still plenty left.
Camacho, and her partner Steve Brown, were registering their first Group One victory as Shaquille came home a length and a quarter clear, with 66-1 shot Swingalong in third.
Trainer Denis Hogan has had his licence suspended for three months and been fined €5,000 after one of his horses tested positive for a prohibited substance.
Ballyadam Destiny showed elevated levels of triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) and dexamethasone after winning at Galway last October.
Dr Lynn Hillyer, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board chief veterinary officer, stated in a report published on Friday that Hogan had been advised not to run his horse for 40 days after being treated by his vet, Donncha Houlihan.
Hogan accepted the findings in the report, stating he had mistaken the withdrawal period due to an administration error and has now employed additional staff as well as putting new measures in place to avoid a reoccurrence.
It is the fourth time in the previous five years a horse of Hogan’s has failed a post-race drugs test – including point-to-points. His ban is due to begin on August 1.
Porta Fortuna registered an impressive success in the Albany Stakes to provide Frankie Dettori with his 80th Royal Ascot win.
Having ridden Gregory and Courage Mon Ami to success, the retiring Italian notched up his third victory of the week when guiding the Donnacha O’Brien-trained youngster to a one-length triumph.
A winner of a Group Three at Naas over this six-furlong distance on her previous start, the daughter of Caravaggio put her experience to good use with a professional display in Berkshire.
Having cruised stylishly into contention passing the two-furlong marker, the well-backed 5-1 winner responded gamely to her rider’s urgings in the closing stages as Dettori pushed his mount out with vigour to hold off the Aidan O’Brien trained Matrika, who finished second having been up with the pace throughout.
The trainer enjoyed many big days in the saddle, but was securing his first winner at the summer showpiece in the training ranks, joining his father and brother Joseph on the Royal Ascot roll of honour.
Canada-born defender Luke Singh is set to make his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago after being drafted as replacement for Daniel Phillips for the Concacaf Gold Cup, which gets underway on Saturday.
The Soca Warriors, who will bow into Group A action on Sunday against first-timer St Kitts and Nevis at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, lost the Scottish-based Phillips to an injury, which dealt somewhat of a blow to Angus Eve's squad that only includes two out and out strikers in Kadeem Corbin and Malcolm Shaw.
It is understood that Reports indicate Phillips, a midfielder, who represents Scottish Premiership outfit St Johnstone, sustained a Grade one quadriceps injury during the second half of the Soca Warriors practice match against Haiti recently and will be out of action for approximately three weeks.
As such, the 22-year-old Singh, who is currently on loan with Canadian Premier League club Atletico Ottawa from Toronto FC, found favour with the coaching staff and joined the team on Thursday with expectations high that the towering defender, standing over six-foot tall, will add value to the Soca Warriors charge.
Trinidad and Tobago will start favourites for Sunday's fixtures scheduled for 2:30pm, having defeated St Kitts and Nevis 2-0 in their lone meeting during the World Cup qualifiers in 2021.
Their group also includes reigning seven-time champion United States and title aspirants Jamaica, who will lock horns on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago at 8:30pm.
The twin island republic secured their spot in this year’s tournament after initial qualifiers Nicaragua, was booted for using an ineligible player during their 1-1 Nations League stalemate, which aided the qualification process.
Trinidad and Tobago squad: Marvin Phillip, Denzil Smith, Nicklaus Frenderup, Aubrey David, Sheldon Bateau, Luke Singh, Leland Archer, Kareem Moses, Shannon Gomez, Alvin Jones, Triston Hodge, Joevin Jones, Ryan Telfer, Ajani Fortune, Kevin Molino, Real Gill, Neveal Hackshaw, Andre Rampersad, Kaile Auvray, Molik Khan, Kadeem Corbin, Levi Garcia, Malcolm Shaw
Following Courage Mon Ami’s memorable Gold Cup triumph, bookmakers have revealed just how popular Frankie Dettori has been with Royal Ascot punters this week.
Entain, parent company of leading firms such as Ladbrokes and Coral, has highlighted how the ‘Frankie Factor’ has been in full force during his final Royal meeting.
Over the opening three days of Royal Ascot, 11 per cent of the overall volume of single bets have been placed on Dettori and his mounts have featured in 38 per cent of all multiple bets .
Queen Anne Stakes runner-up Inspiral was the best-backed horse on day one and attracted 23 per cent of single bets placed on the curtain raiser, despite being second favourite behind Modern Games.
On Wednesday, Dettori featured in 38 per cent of all accumulators and heavily-supported Queen’s Vase winner Gregory was forced into evens favourite.
Despite going off at a generous 15-2, Courage Mon Ami was the third-best backed horse across all races on Ladies’ Day and Dettori led the way in total Thursday wagers at 12 per cent.
Entain chief commercial officer Dominic Grounsell said: “There has been even more of a buzz around Frankie Dettori since the beginning of the Flat season. The world is watching his final season as a professional jockey to see if he can finish in style.
“Our customers have been weighing in on him in all the big meets so far this year, and Royal Ascot has been no different.
“He brings excitement, swagger and a huge following wherever he races, and racing will lose one of its most famous faces and infectious characters this year.
“Let’s enjoy the final few months of Frankie Dettori racing on our screens and follow how the ‘Frankie Factor’ continues to drive fan favourites up and down racecourses this summer.”
Dettori’s popularity was previously on full view in this season’s Classic contests at Newmarket and Epsom.
Entain reports that Chaldean generated 19 per cent of bets placed on the day of the 2000 Guineas, the biggest percentage of any horse in that race, before powering to victory.
Following his success on Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and Soul Sister in the Oaks, Dettori’s Derby mount Arrest was backed into favourite for the Epsom Classic.
Over 19 per cent of 168,000 bets placed on the blue riband event with Entain were for Arrest, but he could only manage 10th place.
John Quinn is happy to “roll the dice” and give Highfield Princess a second shot at Royal Ascot glory this week in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
The six-year-old won three times at Group One level last season and following a narrow defeat on her reappearance at York, she was a hot favourite for the King’s Stand on Tuesday.
Highfield Princess came off second best in a battle with Bradsell and while she was undoubtedly impeded when delivering her challenge, a subsequent stewards’ inquiry deemed it did not affect the result.
Several horses have contested both of Royal Ascot’s Group One sprints before, with Blue Point doing the double in 2019, and Quinn can see no reason not to let his stable star take her chance.
“We left her down (at Ascot) all week and looked at her on Thursday morning and she seems fine, so we’re quite happy to roll the dice,” said the Malton-based trainer.
“Plenty of horses have run well in both races, so it’s doable. She seems bright and she’s no travelling to do, which is important.”
Highfield Princess finished sixth in the 2022 renewal of the six-furlong contest, three places behind Australian challenger Artorius, who this year heads the betting.
Anthony and Sam Freedman’s speedster has already won a Group One prize in his homeland this year and confidence is high that he can go two places better than 12 months ago on his return to Ascot.
“I am a bit more relaxed than last year and not under as much pressure,” said Sam Freedman.
“He is a lot shorter in the market and there is a bit more expectation, but last year it was the unknown and whether he was going to measure up – this year we know he is good enough.
“If you look at the form, he looks to be the horse with the best credentials and I think he has improved into his four-year-old season.
“I am not so concerned about the opposition, but more where he will end up and where he will get to in the run. I am confident taking on any of the sprinters in the world, but it is a case of getting the right transit and a bit of luck.”
Richard Gibson’s Hong Kong raider Wellington is another major player from overseas, while the home team includes the William Haggas-trained Sacred and Kinross from Ralph Beckett’s yard.
Connections of Sacred admit she may be more effective over a furlong further, but they are nevertheless keen to let her line up for a race in which she was beaten just a length into fifth place last year.
Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “I think seven furlongs is is probably her optimum. We were hoping we might be able to stretch her to a mile, but we’re not convinced so we are dropping back.
“She ran one of her best races in this last year and we’ll roll the dice and see how she goes, but she’s in good form.”
Kinross enjoyed a fantastic campaign last season, winning at the highest level in the Prix de la Foret and the British Champions Sprint before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
He has not been seen in competitive action since his trip to Kentucky, but is nevertheless a leading contender in the hands of Frankie Dettori.
“I think he handles firm ground but I think six on firm ground is a little bit quick for him, so you would prefer some rain,” said owner Marc Chan’s racing manager Jamie McCalmont.
“He only got beat two lengths in this last year (finished eighth) and he’s fresh and in great shape and ready to run.
“Hopefully it will set him up for his most important date when he tries to get Frankie his full house in the July Cup.”
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