John Gosden: Royal Ascot runners

John Gosden believes Lead Artist will need to be at the peak of his powers if he is to double his Group One tally in what the trainer expects to be a “humdinger” of a Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The son of Dubawi will bid to follow up his breakthrough success at the highest level in last month’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in the £750,000 mile prize, which gets the Royal meeting underway.

In order to step up his preparations for his next assignment, the Juddmonte-owned colt was put through his paces during a racecourse gallop on the July Course under the connections’ new retained rider Colin Keane.

And although pleased with what he saw, Gosden – who trains the four-year old in partnership with his son Thady – expects a tough challenge from both Lockinge third and fourth, Rosallion and Notable Speech, with both now having a run under their belts.

The trainer said: “The idea was to have a go on the course and Colin to get feel the horse so he knows him when he goes to Ascot. It is a lot to suddenly see these horses for the first time and you don’t want to see them for the first time in the paddock.

“We got stuck in the ground at Sandown in the bet365 Mile. It was good to soft there and he doesn’t like that. He likes what we are going to get at Ascot on Tuesday, all being well. He likes to bounce off it, but he was in need of the race (at Sandown) as well. He came there nicely and literally on that ground he did struggle.

“He did turn it around (in the Lockinge), but it wasn’t a surprise. Did I think he would go and win? Not necessarily, but I thought he would run a huge race which he did. I think he has matured a lot mentally.

“Both Rosallion and Notable Speech are going to come on for it. I think it is as good of a Queen Anne that I have seen in a long time. We said that about the Lockinge, but now they have got a race under their belt it is quite a humdinger to start the meeting with.”

While Lead Artist is to spearhead the line-up in the Queen Anne for the Clarehaven Stables team, the father-and-son duo will also be represented in the race by recent Prix d’Ispahan runner-up Sardinian Warrior.

He added: “Sardinian Warrior is in good form and he will run in the Queen Anne. He ran a very nice race in France. I think the other horse did out stay him (over nine furlongs), but Christophe Soumillon nearly took the day, but was beaten by a very good horse.”

‘We will see how the draw goes’

It promises to be a big opening day of the Royal meeting for the Gosden team with Irish 2000 Guineas hero Field Of Gold set to lock horns with his Betfred 2000 Guineas conqueror Ruling Court in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

But Gosden believes his chances of exacting revenge on the Charlie Appleby-trained colt could hinge on the draw.

“There was no need for him to come over here today as he only ran in the Irish 2000 Guineas not that long ago. These horses had all been a month, and one a year, since they last ran, but he is fine and we are pointing him towards the St James’s Palace Stakes,” he said.

“It is very exciting (the re-match with Ruling Court) and that is what Ascot is all about. We will see how the race works out and we have got to take a good look at the draw. That mile there you can sometimes get stuck down on the inside and never see daylight. We will see how the draw goes and take it from there.”

Both Lead Artist and Field Of Gold will be among a stellar book of rides six-time Irish champion jockey Keane will have at this year’s Royal meeting. And Gosden is backing the 30 year-old rider to excel in his new role as the retained rider for Juddmonte.

He added: “He is a very talented jockey and very talented horseman. He is an extremely nice fella and I’m sure it will be fine. The travelling is demanding on a jockey, but I’m sure he will fit in well once he gets to know the horses.

“He will be over riding work and things and he has come in today especially. He is a very classy jockey and you are not six-times champion in Ireland if you’re not. The riding over there is tough and no one gives a quarter to anyone. It is an exciting opportunity for him.”

Also in action on the July Course this morning was last year’s Doncaster Cup hero Sweet William, who, alongside stablemate Trawlerman, is on course for a tilt at the Ascot Gold Cup, a race in which he finished third 12 months ago.

He added: “Sweet William is in great order and he has worked well there. He is a wonderful character, and he does everything in his own time, but I think that work will just sharpen him up how we want him. They are different types of horses. One just bowls along and the other comes with a strong late run. To that extent they suit each other really well as they are both not trying to do the same job.

“It will still be a smart field without Kyprios and a good race, with Illinois in there.”

Before the Gosden team unleash their two smart stayers in the Gold Cup a week on Thursday, stablemate Ombudsman will take his chance at Group One level for the first time 24 hours earlier in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Despite the son of Night Of Thunder losing his unbeaten record on his return to action in the Group Three Brigadier Gerard Stakes last month, the trainer expects the Godolphin-owned colt to take a significant step forward.

He added: “It was a good run in the Brigadier Gerard, but again he got tired on the ground. I think the winner is very smart, and he was obviously getting three pounds from him. He got the run of the race and our lad had to come from off the pace, but Ryan (Moore) was very pleased with him.

“It is a question whether you go to the Wolferton or the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, but I think the owner would be keen to go to the Prince Of Wales’s, so that is what we will do.”

John Gosden: Royal Ascot runners

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