Plus the international contingent taking shape...
from racingpost again..
ASCOT is looking to the Far East in its bid to attract global superstars to its summer highlights – but Britain's international-racing flagbearer, faces an uphill struggle to attract the ‘Hong Kong Bomb', world champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom.
On the other hand, top-class Japanese performer Daiwa Scarlet, among the best fillies in the world, could figure among the Royal Ascot entries next week, with her and several Grade 1-winning compatriots eyeing the King George. There could even be an American presence.
Although Australian sprinters have become a welcome regular addition to the Royal Ascot mix, the only confirmed attendee this year is old favourite Takeover Target. There remain, however, a number of others who could yet make the trip, while New Zealand horse of the year Seachange is already stationed in Newmarket for a British-based campaign.
As well as representatives of Mike De Kock's Newmarket-based string – among them Sun Classique and Archipenko, who are set to be entered for the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Queen Anne respectively – the Sean Tarry-trained sprinter National Colour is being aimed at the sprints.
Nick Smith, Ascot head of public relations, outlined the current state of play with regard to Ascot‘s prime target Sacred Kingdom, ante-post favourite for the Golden Jubilee with Coral.
“I think Sacred Kingdom will be nominated for the Golden Jubilee but I have to say it is odds-against,” he admitted. “It isn't for want of trying and we are in regular contact with trainer Ricky Yiu, but I would say there's maybe a 30 per cent chance of them coming as their focus is domestic.
“They have a domestic focus in Hong Kong and there is a lot of pressure for their horses to run in their best races, so they pick other targets very, very sparingly,” he added. “They want him at the top of his game for Hong Kong in December, so there is work to be done – but we haven't given up, and next year I would be confident hewill run.”
Smith is also looking towards Japan, and Daiwa Scarlet in particular.
A multiple Grade 1 winner at home, she missed an intended trip to Dubai owing to a minor eye injury but returned to the track recently with a victory over a host of top Japanese middle-distance horses.
“Perhaps more realistically, she is the number one target,” said Smith. “She is a serious racehorse and her owners are keen to race her abroad. She could run in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the King George – or maybe the Juddmonte International and the Arc. But there's no doubt they would like to bring her to Europe at some stage.”
Ascot's drive to make the King George a truly international race is likely to produce several Japanese entries, among them dual-Classic winner Meisho Samson and Matsurida Gogh, who in December won the season-ending Arima Kinen, reputedly the world's biggest betting-turnover race. US trainer Ken McPeek, who trained former King George runner-up Hard Buck, is again targeting the race with Drilling For Oil, who could run first at Royal Ascot in the Gold Cup or the Hardwicke.
Alongside Drilling For Oil other Ascot possibles from the States include his stablemate My Baby Baby (Ribblesdale) while Anglophile owner Ken Ramsey iskeen to send over Cannonball, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He could run in the Golden Jubilee, while turf sprinter Smart Enough remains a possible for the King's Stand. Cannonball's two-year-old stablemate No Speed Limit could accompany him with the Queen Mary in mind.
Smith added: “It's true that, other than the South Africans, Takeover Target and Seachange are the only confirmed runners, but two or three years ago we would have been overjoyed to get just those horses so it shows how far we've come. We have moved well beyond the novelty value. We are aiming for the best in the world.”
Royal Ascot plans from outside Europe
INTENDED RUNNERS
Australia: Takeover Target
South Africa: Archipenko, National Colour, Sun Classique
New Zealand: Seachange
POSSIBLES
Australia: Casino Prince, Cefalu, Magnus, Miss Andretti, Universal Ruler
Japan: Daiwa Scarlet
Hong Kong: Absolute Champion, Floral Pegasus, Sacred Kingdom
USA: Cannonball, Drilling For Oil, My Baby Baby, No Speed Limit, Smart Enough,
KING GEORGE POSSIBLES
Japan: Daiwa Scarlet, Matsurida Gogh, Meisho Samson, Roc De Cambes
USA: Drilling For Oil
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