THE ROAD TO ROYAL ASCOT 2019

50 important race trials for Royal Ascot (June 2019)

© 2019 Gavin Priestley RACE INDEX

1.FEILDEN STAKES – Newmarket (April) 2. – Newmarket (April) 3.NELL GWYN – Newmarket (April) 4.GREENHAM STAKES – Newbury 5.SPRING CUP – Newbury 6.GORDON RICHARDS – Sandown 7.2yo Conditions Stakes - Ascot 8.SAGARO STAKES – Ascot 9. – Newmarket 10. – Newmarket 11.2000 GUINEAS – Newmarket 12. – Newmarket 13. – Newmarket 14.1000 GUINEAS – Newmarket 15.HUXLEY STAKES – Chester 16.CHESTER VASE – Chester 17.ORMONDE STAKES – Chester 18.OAKS TRIAL – Lingfield 19.DERBY TRIAL – Lingfield 20.BUCKHOUNDS STAKES – Ascot 21.VICTORIA CUP – Ascot 22.DUKE OF YORK STAKES – York 23.YORKSHIRE CUP – York 24.CLASS 3 (0-95 ) 7F HANDICAP- York 25.KING CHARLES II STAKES – Newmarket 26.LONDON GOLD CUP HANDICAP – Newbury 27.THE LOCKINGE – Newbury 28.COCKED HAT – Goodwood 29.FESTIVAL STAKES – Goodwood 30.CLASS 2 HANDICAP – Goodwood 31.SILVER BOWL HANDICAP – Haydock 32.TEMPLE STAKES – Haydock 33.Prix D'ISPAHAN - Chantilly 34.FAIRWAY STAKES – Newmarket 35.MARBLE HILL STAKES – The Curragh 36.IRISH 1000 GUINEAS – The Curragh 37.IRISH 2000 GUINEAS – The Curragh 38.MILE HANDICAP – Sandown 39.HENRY II STAKES – Sandown 40.NATIONAL STAKES – Sandown 41.BRIGADIER GERARD – Sandown 42.SANDY LANE – Haydock 43.2YO TROPHY – Beverley 44.ZETLAND GOLD CUP – Redcar 45.SAVAL BEG STAKES – Leopardstown 46.THE DERBY – Epsom 47.CORONATION CUP – Epsom 48.WOODCOTE STAKES – Epsom 49.SILVER STAKES – Curragh RACE 20: BUCKHOUNDS STAKES - ASCOT SATURDAY 11TH MAY – 1m4f (4yo+) RESULTS: 2006 – 2018

YEAR FORM WINNER FLAT RUNS ODDS TRAINER AGE WEIGHT RATING 2018 2/322- Barsanti 14 10/11f Varian, R 6 9-0 115 2017 11132- Desert Encounter 9 8/1 Simcock, D 5 9-0 102 2016 311/7- Elite Army 5 3/1 Suroor, S Bin 5 9-0 104 2015 1123- Agent Murphy 4 9/2 Meehan, B J 4 9-0 98 2014 322-2 Gatewood 20 4/1 Gosden, J H M 6 9-0 104 2013 202-3 Ektihaam (IRE) 8 11/4 Varian, Roger 4 8-12 112 2012 111-1 Aiken 5 2/5 Gosden, J H M 4 8-12 99 2011 11/11- Alainmaar (FR) 5 11/8 Varian, Roger 5 8-12 112 2010 1447- Barshiba (IRE) 28 11/4 Elsworth, D R C 6 8-7 111 2009 167-1 Duncan 6 11/10 Gosden, J H M 4 8-12 107 2008 1/5- Spanish Moon (USA) 2 7/2 Stoute, Sir M 4 8-12 103 2007 222-5 Mountain High (IRE) 9 8/13 Stoute, Sir M 5 8-12 119 2006 702-51 Akarem 16 16/1 Burke, K R 5 9-1 102

TRENDS:

• All of the last 13 winners were aged 4-6yo (10/13 were 4 or 5yo) • All of the last 13 winners were rated 98+ • All of the last 9 4 or 5yo winners had run a maximum of 9 times • All of the last 13 winners had their last race in class 1-3 company • All of the 6 winners to have raced that Season had done so in the last 25 days • 12 of the last 13 winners finished top 5 last time out • 11 of the last 13 winners had run at least 5 times in their career • 4 of the 13 winners had their last run in handicap company (from 15 such runners) • 4 of 's 5 runners have finished 1st or 2nd • All 6 horses that last ran on the all weather have finished unplaced

TOP 5 TRAINERS: Runs/Wins/Places/Profit-Loss A. BALDING 6 0 1 -6.00 B. MEEHAN 4 1 0 +1.50 P. COLE 4 0 1 -4.00 J. GOSDEN 5 3 1 +3.50 Sir M. STOUTE 4 2 1 +2.12

RACE AS A POINTER TO ROYAL ASCOT It's not the greatest of the 50 races in pinpointing Ascot winners but those runners that go their have done well in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes. It's also well worth noting any runner that heads for the Duke of Edingburgh Handicap.... Nothing much to report for the class of 2018 with Barsanti disappointing in the Hardwicke although the 5th Glencadam Glory did manage 5th in the Queen Alexandra Stakes at 14/1 and the last home Scotland ran 5th in the Gold Cup at 50/1. The 2017 runner up Star Storm ran 3rd in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap at 14/1. 2016 winner Elite Army also went for the DoE Handicap where he finished runner up as the 9/2 favourite. 4th home Oriental Fox stepped up to 2m5f for the Queen Alexandra Stakes where he finished 4th. The 2014 runner up Pethers Moon finished third in the Hardwicke while the 3rd home Elidor was 4th in the Duke of Edinburgh handicap. The 2013 winner Ektihaam slipped up in the Hardwicke when 9/4 favourite leaving the runner up from here Thomas Chippendale to take the race at 8/1. 2012 winner Aiken was 4th in the Hardwicke. The mare Barshiba won in 2010 and ran third in the Hardwicke at 18/1 with Duncan finishing runner up in both races at 4/5 and 8/1. Young Mick was 8th in 2008 but ran 4th in the Duke of Edinburgh at 20/1. RACE 21: VICTORIA CUP - ASCOT SATURDAY 11TH MAY – 7f (4yo+) RESULTS: 2006 – 2018

YEAR FORM WINNER FLAT RUNS ODDS TRAINER AGE WEIGHT RATING 2018 22122 Ripp Orf 8 20/1 Elsworth, D 4 8-1 83 2017 1214-3 Fastnet Tempest 8 5/1f Haggas, W 4 8-5 89 2016 0-2445 Flash Fire 14 20/1 Appleby, C 4 9-6 104 2015 215-11 Speculative Bid (IRE) 8 10/1 Elsworth, D R C 4 8-9 94 2014 295-75 Gabriels Lad (IRE) 18 12/1 Coakley, D J 5 9-8 102 2013 05900- Excellent Guest 25 25/1 Margarson, G G 6 8-10 93 2012 27513 Global Village (IRE) 28 9/1 Ellison, B 7 8-5 88 2011 100-4 Hawkeyethenoo (IRE) 25 15/2 Goldie, J S 5 8-7 96 2010 101-3 Dandy Boy (ITY) 7 16/1 Marnane, David 4 8-13 95 2009 5465- Swift Gift 10 25/1 Meehan, B J 4 8-5 85 2008 13-43 Zaahid (IRE) 10 5/1 Hills, B W 4 8-11 92 2007 040-1 Wise Dennis 21 14/1 Jarvis, A P 5 8-12 96 2006 000-0 Partners In Jazz (USA) 21 8/1 Barron, T D 5 9-1 94 TRENDS:

• All of the last 13 winners were aged 4-7yo (10/12 were 4 or 5yo) • All of the last 13 winners had raced at least 7 times in their career • 12 of the last 13 winners had their last run in a handicap • 11 of the last 13 winners were rated 83-96 (2 exceptions 100+) • 11 of the last 13 winners had their last run in class 1 or 2 company • 11 of the last 13 winners finished top 5 last time out • 11 of the last 13 winners had their last run in the previous 6-45 day period • 10 of the last 13 winners carried 8-05 - 9-01 • 5 of the last 13 winners had their start on the AW • Only 1 of the last 13 winners had their last start over 6f (from 55 such runners) TOP 5 TRAINERS: Runs/Wins/Places/Profit-Loss K. RYAN 14 0 0 -14.00 R. FAHEY 16 0 2 -16.00 JS GOLDIE 9 1 2 -0.50 TD BARRON 10 1 3 -1.00 B. MEEHAN 4 1 1 +22.00

RACE AS A POINTER TO ROYAL ASCOT The Buckingham Palace Stakes run at Royal Ascot over 7f from 2002 to 2014 was unsurprisingly the main focus of the runners from here. That race has now been transferred to the Champions Day meeting but luckily it's not the only handicap that runners were heading for as the 1m Hunt Cup and 6f Wokingham have also been targeted to great effect by connections.... Plenty of runners from the 2018 renewal went to Ascot for the Hunt Cup but most ran down the field with the 16th home Raising Sand doing best when finishing 7th. The first three home in 2017 went on to run in the Hunt Cup but it was the third Zhui Feng that did best when winning that Royal Ascot race at 25/1. Remarkable ran 10th here and 6th in that years Hunt Cup. Very few runners from the 2016 renewal went on to Royal Ascot but one that did was Outback Traveller. He was only 13th here but went on to win the Wokingham Handicap at 10/1. Buckstay was 3rd and 5th in the same two races. In 2015 the winner Speculative Bid was 5th in the Hunt Cup while Chil the Kite was 3rd having run 13th here. In 2014 Louis The Pious could only manage 21st but went on to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes at 33/1 a month later while Ayaar ran 4th here and 5th in the Hunt Cup. In 2013 the Hunt Cup winner Lightning Cloud had warmed up for that race with a 14th place finish here. He beat Dream true who had run 5th in the Victoria Cup. Khubala was 16th here and 4th in the Wokingham. In 2012 Hawkeyethenoo ran 11th here then 3rd in the Wokingham, Excellent Guest was 14th then 2nd in the Hunt Cup and Global Village won and was then 4th in the Buckingham Palace. In 2011 the runner up Manassas went one better to take the Buckingham Palace that June at 12/1 where he beat Excellent Guest who had finished 10th here. In 2010 the 9th home Golden Desert was 5th in the Wokingham. In 2009 Giganticus could only manage 15th of the 27 runners but made no mistake at Royal Ascot when winning the Buckingham Palace Stakes while Markab was 6th here and then 4th in the Wokingham. In 2008 Laa Rayb unseated rider here but at Royal Ascot the jockey stayed onboard for him to finish 5th in the Buckingham Palace. The 2007 winner Wise Dennis, 18th Dabbers Ridge and 15th South Cape finished 4th-5th-3rd in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.