LIGHTNING SET TO STRIKE TWICE FOR LADY AURELIA
Everything points to RIBCHESTER but there must be a nagging doubt that the fast ground could catch him out. His recent form, trip and the fact he has to help as a pacemaker, though he failed to do his job at Newbury, points to a Ribchester success. However, 10 of his 11 starts have been on good or easier ground. On the positive side, his only start on a fast surface was a close third to The Gurkha in the Group One Sussex Stakes. His Newbury victory in the Lockinge, where he had to make his own running, suggests he is uncomplicated and the one to beat. chased him home at Newbury and could do the same again. The drop back to a mile may see improvement from Deauville. contrasting surfaces. He is sure to make his presence felt but there was a lot to like about the way DE BRUYNE HORSE (left) quickened at Epsom to beat subsequent winner Cardsharp. Any support for Wesley Ward’s an easy winner on dirt from three rivals, would be worth noting. The sight of LADY AURELIA and Frankie Dettori sprinting clear to win last year’s Queen Mary by seven lengths will live long in the memory. She went on to further success in France, picking up her first Group One before her over-exuberance got the better of her in the Cheveley Park. She has since learned to settle and was not pressed to score on her Keeneland reappearance. She will be a tough one to peg back but the progressive will probably give her a race. She finished last season with victory in the Abbaye and showed that was no fluke by giving weight away when making a winning return at Newmarket where she had nine of today’s rivals behind her. You do wonder how CHURCHILL got beat on his juvenile debut last year but he has not looked back since and has won seven on the bounce, including four Group Ones. This is likely to be his fifth and an eighth success for Aidan O’Brien in this race. Churchill has shown most of his main rivals here a clean pair of heels already in winning the Dewhurst last year and the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas this campaign. who chased him home at Newmarket, may do the same today but one of the selection’s stablemates,
who is a pacemaker, is a decent performer and it would come as no surprise to see him occupy one of the places at long odds. This race is often won by a trainer associated with jump racing and the finish may concern two of those today. Alan King’s RAINBOW DREAMER is suggested over the Willie Mullinstrained Mullins has won this twice with Ryan Moore up on both occasions and it is no surprise to see the pair at it again. Thomas Hobson has not been seen on the Flat since 2013 when winning a mile-and-a-half handicap, off a 3lb lower mark. He has developed into a classy hurdler since and on that evidence remains well treated. King is triplehanded and all three can be given some sort of chance. But Rainbow Dreamer looked to have improved for the step up to two miles and two furlongs when scoring at Newbury in April. It was this race in 2009 that saw Wesley Ward open his Ascot account with Strike The Tiger. He is double-handed today and NOOTKA SOUND, who was a wide-margin winner on her debut, may just edge it with Frankie Dettori booked. Stablemate
was equally impressive in winning on her debut and the pair of them beat the same rival with Elizabeth Darcy scoring with more in hand. There could be more to come from the well-bred
who improved from his debut with a facile all-weather success at Dundalk.