Assuming The Mantle

Now that Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) and The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are retired and Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is on the sidelines, there seems little in the way of Godolphin's Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) securing leading honours among the older milers in Tuesday's G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot. Following his emphatic success in the G1 Lockinge S., the 4-year-old starts the week's action as hot favourite with few flaws. As effective on the soft ground he encountered in that May 20 Newbury contest as he is on the livelier surface he raced on when winning the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August and when runner-up in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. here in October, the pride of the Richard Fahey stable is primed and ready. “He's done his last serious bit of work and he's good. We're very happy,” he said. “He's the highest-rated horse we've ever had, so you'd have to say he's the best. He's won over £1.5million already and he's progressing along the right lines. It will be different ground to Newbury, but he has form on fast ground as well. It's called racing for a reason and things can go wrong, but we're very comfortable where we are.”

As recent beaten favourites Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and George Washington (Ire) (Danehill) attest, this race is no given for so-called “good things” and the now-customary international flavour adds an element of the unknown to proceedings. How WinStar Farm's American Patriot (War Front) measures up to the best of the Europeans is guesswork, but he at least visits on the back of a career-best success in Keeneland's GI Maker's 46 Mile Apr. 14, he has Ascot specialist Frankie Dettori on board and this is true War Front ground. Todd Pletcher's assistant Ginny DePasquale said, “They've always thought a lot of the horse and he stepped up to the mark at Keeneland last time. He seems to handle things very well and takes things in his stride, so I can't imagine the different type of track will faze him. He's used to being an underdog. There are obviously a couple of big players in here, but hopefully he'll have a good trip with no excuses. He'll probably be up close to the pace and I think he can run into a place.”

Aidan O'Brien saddles two outsiders in Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Cougar Mountain (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and although Ryan Moore is on the former who was third last time in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 28, Cougar Mountain was third in this two years ago and has the fast ground he has been searching for. Eighth when it was soft 12 months ago, the 6-year-old has only had his favoured combination of a mile, a quick surface and a straight track once in his career and duly won emphatically in Newmarket's G2 Joel S. in September. Also at home under those conditions is Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mutakayyef (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who beat Dutch Connection (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) by 2 1/4 lengths in the G2 Summer Mile here in July. “It's a big day and the great thing for this horse is the ground is in his favour,” trainer William Haggas said. “I've been very happy with him at home and he's working very well. He's got a nice draw, he's won at Ascot on fast ground and I hope he'll run another good race.”

Qatar Racing's slow-burner Lightning Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) improved last term and was third behind Tepin (Bernstein) in this race and in the QEII, as well as winning the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August. Trainer David Simcock is plotting vengeance for his heavy defeat by Ribchester when 3 3/4-lengths second in the Lockinge. “Ribchester probably got his own way too much at Newbury and that probably won't be the case in the Queen Anne,” he commented. “He'll still take a lot of beating, but our horse will improve for the ground. That's not to say it won't suit Ribchester, but if we get a bit of pace on better ground, hopefully we'll finish a bit closer.”