Harbour Duty

Ascot plays host to the G3 Longines Sagaro S. on Wednesday, when Jackie Cornwell's G1 St Leger winner Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) makes his return ahead of a possible staying campaign which will take in Royal Ascot's feature G1 Gold Cup. Making the most of the unseat of Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Doncaster Classic in September, the bay–who had previously shown he stays this far when second in the Listed Queen's Vase at the Royal meeting in June–has a four-pound penalty and is ridden by a new jockey in Tom Queally in place of the injury-stricken George Baker. “He's in good heart and he's ready to go,” trainer Laura Mongan said. “He wintered well. He went to his owners and then came back to us in mid-January. There's no doubt it will be emotional without George, though. While taking nothing away from Tom, who is an excellent jockey and rode him at Lingfield the other day, George is a big part of the jigsaw puzzle with this horse. Doncaster was such an amazing day, one we'll never forget, but we've always felt this horse would be even better with another winter on his back. He's matured physically and mentally and we think he's come on a lot. All being equal, I don't think he'd run again before the Gold Cup [at Royal Ascot on June 22] and we think he'll stay that far. After that, the races pick themselves.” Heading the opposition is the G2 Doncaster Cup and G3 Henry II S. winner Pallasator (GB) (Motivator {GB}), while the G2 Prix Kergorlay scorer Nearly Caught (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) is one of three from the Hughie Morrison stable along with the authoritative Cesarewitch H. winner Sweet Selection (GB) (Stimulation {Ire}). He said of the latter, “We've got to be realistic with Sweet Selection. It's a massive step up from handicaps into group races. How she'll run I've no idea, because she's a terrible worker at home. She's from a decent family–her half-sister [Lightning Thunder] nearly won the Guineas, so if we can get black-type she becomes a valuable broodmare.”