Integral Seeks Bragging Rights Again
Inaugurated in 2004, Wednesday’s G2 Duke of Cambridge S. has already fallen the way of trainer Sir Michael Stoute on four occasions, and the Newmarket-based conditioner will seek a fifth renewal of the straight-mile test with last year’s heroine Integral (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and the year-younger Bragging (Exchange Rate). Cheveley Park Stud’s Integral has registered two Group 1 victories since prevailing here last year, in the G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S., and returns to this gender-specific contest coming off a seventh in the Oct. 18 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and a promising fourth in the May 16 G1 Lockinge S. on seasonal return at Newbury last time. She is leaning towards odds-on favoritism on the books, but is burdened with an additional five pounds incurred for those top-level scores. “Like all these races at Royal Ascot it is obviously a challenge, but she goes there in very good shape and I think she deserves to be favorite,” commented Cheveley Park’s Chris Richardson. “She ran a very good race at Newbury, Sir Michael thinks she’s progressed nicely since and he seems very happy with her. She does have the penalty to contend with, so that is a consideration, but she showed what a class act she is in this race last year and hopefully she can do it again.”
Juddmonte’s relatively unexposed Bragging is a typical example of Stoute’s patient approach and goes postward, dropping down to a mile, off a breakthrough win going nine furlongs in Newmarket’s May 3 G3 Dahlia S. and a sixth in the May 14 G2 Middleton S. over an extended 10 furlongs at York.
Dancing a jig will be the order of the day in the winner’s enclosure if veteran handler Clive Brittain can produce Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) to claim a third straight win at the Royal meet. The 4-year-old bagged the G2 Queen Mary S. as a juvenile in 2013, adding the G1 Moyglare Stud S. to her resume later that term, and prevailed in the G1 Coronation S. going around the turn here last year. She was a below-par seventh to Bragging in the G2 Dahlia S. last time. “I couldn’t have her in better condition or in a better frame of mind,” claimed a typically bullish Brittain. “Her work has been good, as it always is, but she seems in a particularly good place at the moment. We’re putting a line through her run at Newmarket. It was disappointing, but it was too bad to be true and Newmarket has never been a lucky course for her.” Brittain added, “We gave her a short break afterwards and built her back up and she obviously prefers Ascot. It’s a proper race, but she’s a proper filly. If we get beaten by a better filly, what can you do? I don’t think we’ll get beaten by a better conditioned one.”
Team Valor’s Euro Charline (GB) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), who hit the board behind Rizeena in last term’s G1 Coronation S., boasts a course win in the July 25 Listed Valiant S. and returns to European action after besting Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) in the Aug. 16 GI Beverly D at Arlington and running a commendable fourth to Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) when venturing into the males’ domain in the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan last time. “She seems well and seems fit, and we have been very happy with her last couple of pieces of work,” commented trainer Marco Botti. “This is her first run since Dubai, but it was always her target and the ground should not be an issue. I don’t think we could have her in better shape than she is at the moment. Integral is a good filly and won the race last year, but Euro Charline has never disappointed us and I think it should be a good match.”