My Dream Boat (Ire) (Lord Shanakill) used last year's G3 Gordon Richards S. as a springboard to success in Royal Ascot's G1 Prince of Wales's S. and, unpenalised for that career high, he attempts to chart a similar course in Friday's latest edition at Sandown. Paul and Clare Rooney's bay has been off the board in three subsequent top-level starts and makes his seasonal debut returning off a five-length fourth to Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in October's G1 Champion S. back at Ascot. “I'm very happy with him, he has done really well over the winter and has had a great preparation,” said trainer Clive Cox. “I am looking forward to getting him back on track and any more rain would be welcome. He starts this season without a penalty, which is great news, and hopefully he can build to the heights he achieved last season. The way he finished in the Champion and Irish Champion gives us encouragement he might get further, so he is entered up with all possible options.”
His chief threat is G3 Rose of Lancaster S. winner Royal Artillery (War Front), who hails from the in-form John Gosden yard, entering the fray coming back from a third to Almanzor in August's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. Susan Magnier's colourbearer has enjoyed a recent change of scenery and journeyed from the Newmarket slopes to exercise at Chelmsford's all-weather track last week. “I am happy with him and he has been working with [2015 winner] Western Hymn who goes for the [May 6 G2] Jockey Club S. [at Newmarket],” Gosden explained. “They enjoyed a day out at Chelmsford last week and it sharpened them up going down to that racecourse doing a bit of work. It was just nice bridle work in a pair, but it does them good mentally.”
Aidan O'Brien has yet to taste success in this contest and is represented by last term's GI Belmont Derby Invitational winner Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who ran seventh in the Meydan's Mar. 25 G1 Dubai Turf last time. Sir Michael Stoute is the contest's winning-most trainer, with a haul of seven, and he sends forth G1 Breeders' Cup Turf fourth Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for the 4-year-old's first start of the season.
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