The first Flat meeting of Ascot’s 2024 season features a competitive eight-race card with plenty of old favourites and potential future stars on show, no doubt with a few valuable pointers towards the Royal Meeting in June.
There will be a few recognisable names in the Longines Sagaro Stakes (2.15pm), including last year’s winner Coltrane, trained by Andrew Balding. The seven-year-old impressively took this race en route to the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, where he found only Courage Mon Ami too good on the day. Trueshan was fourth in this race last year, and although he may not quite be the force of old, he’s won three times over the course and distance on QIPCO British Champions Day and proved his class remained with Group 1 victory in France last September. Quickthorn brings more Group 1 winning form to the table, whilst Sweet William progressed with each run last year, culminating in a third-placed effort in the QIPCO British Long Distance Cup – finishing ahead of Trueshan and Coltrane. Add in Caius Chorister, herself a progressive mare, and this is an intriguing renewal with plenty of potential Gold Cup pointers.
The Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes follows 35 minutes later, and this looks another competitive heat with lots in with a chance. It may be best to start with Adaay In Devon, who comes into this race on a hat-trick having won a Listed race last time out. That was over five furlongs, but she did plenty of her winning over six last year so the step back up in trip shouldn’t be a problem. Starlust has been kept busy over the autumn and winter, with placed efforts at the Breeders Cup and in Meydan – a reproduction of his Juvenile Turf Sprint third would surely see him go close. Purosangue and Got To Love A Grey, the latter for last year’s winning trainer Karl Burke, both won at Listed level last year, whilst El Bodon was second in the Greenham Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury just 11 days ago and steps down in trip for this contest.
Listed action comes courtesy of the Bet With Ascot Donation Scheme Paradise Stakes (1.40pm), which features five runners, two owned by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum with interesting profiles. The first is Maljoom, who was fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes in 2022 but has only had one run since, finishing fifth in the Joel Stakes at Newmarket in September last year. The fact he has been kept in training, and is still an entire, means the William Haggas team must think he has unfulfilled potential. Quddwah runs for the same owner – he recorded two wins in quick succession last May but hasn’t been seen since. Epictetus has been largely consistent throughout his career and was gelded over the winter, whilst Docklands has won two handicaps over the course and distance including at Royal Ascot last year, then was third in the Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored by QIPCO) in October.
The card kicks off at 1.10pm with the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions Stakes, with five of the six-strong field all having won already. Amy Murphy’s Rock Hunter won a valuable debutants race at Chantilly at the start of April, whilst Tanager for the Eve Johnson Houghton stable won a Class 2 at Chelmsford City on his first start. Enchanting Empress and Sex On Fire, like Tanager, will need to prove their debut form translates to the turf after victory on the all-weather at Wolverhampton and Southwell respectively first time out. Atherstone Warrior completes the quintet of previous winners, with Diligently for Clive Cox the only horse to come here without prior experience.
The Naas Racecourse Handicap has split into two divisions, the first of which takes place at 3.25pm. Glamorous Breeze heads the weights and went off favourite for this race last year. She’s been largely consistent throughout her career and a pipe-opener at Bath could have put her spot-on for this. Woolhampton has fine form at Ascot, finishing first, second and third in three races here last year, whilst Moulin Booj is fit from the all-weather, winning at Southwell in March.
Division 2 (4.00pm) looks perhaps even more competitive. Kuwait City won at Yarmouth in April and has run respectably at Ascot in the past, whilst Fair Wind finished off last season with a victory on soft ground at Windsor and could have more to offer in handicaps. Juicy has had just three runs and Hollie Doyle booked for her first try on turf, and at the opposite end of the weight Jumbeau was fifth in the Windsor Castle Stakes in 2022 and remained consistent throughout her three-year-old season without getting her head in front.
The Darley British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes (4.35pm) features just one previous winner in Aquacell, who caused a minor upset when winning on debut at Chelmsford three weeks ago. Sorin Moldoveanu retains the ride – his first at Ascot. Chorus, Climate Action and Madame De Sevigne all finished second on their last starts, whilst three powerful owners unleash homebred newcomers. Diamond Rain is a Godolphin half-sister to Magic Lily who won a Group 2 at Meydan, Echo Lima for Juddmonte is a sister to two winners and a half-sister to five more, and Shadwell run Fayqa, a daughter of Tarfasha who was second in the Oaks in 2014. John & Thady Gosden won this race last year with debutante Queen For You – this year they introduce Shaha.
The card is complete with the Manny Mercer Apprentice Handicap (5.10pm) which features three course-and-distance winners. One Step Beyond won an apprentice handicap here in July and has a chance off a mark two pounds higher, whilst Repertoire was victorious in this very race under a certain Saffie Osborne in 2022. Roarin’ Success completes the trio of previous Ascot winners. Two Tempting was third here in October, and returned this season with victory at Chelmsford, so should also make the shortlist.
