Internationals Warm Up For Ascot

By Emma Berry 
Each year Nick Smith of Ascot Racecourse treks far and wide across the globe to lure international runners to the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting, with previous visitors including the much-loved rags-to-riches gelding Takeover Target (Aus), the queen of Australian racing Black Caviar (Aus) and Kentucky Derby hero Animal Kingdom. This year's ensemble certainly has strength in depth with runners from ten different countries set to do battle over five days next week. California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) may have been usurped in the eyes of the American public by the Triple Crown exploits of American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) but he has won plenty more fans since touching down in Newmarket after leaving Dubai at the end of March. At Thursday's press conference with connections of the international runners, the horse's co-owner Steve Coburn even suggested that the Queen is a 'Chromie'. It may be worth hedging your bets on purple and green for Wednesday in the popular daily book on what colour hat Her Majesty will wear to the races. 
In common international racing parlance, a trackwork session preceded the press conference at Newmarket's historic Jockey Club Rooms. What made this one somewhat different to the build-up to a Breeders' Cup or Dubai World Cup is that Newmarket's 3,000 horses are trained over approximately 2,500 acres and 100 miles of marked gallops on the Jockey Club-owned Heath encircling the town. Hence, a carefully managed timetable was in place for the magical mystery tour that would take us from Lady Cecil's Warren Place to see Japanese raiders Spielberg (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Super Moon (Jpn) (Brian's Time) followed by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Wandjina (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) having a steady canter around Side Hill, before zipping across town to 'Racecourse Side' for Hong Kong superstar Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) stretching out under rider Michael Yeung on the round canter.

The pace quickened as the morning went on with the one horse to be undertaking a serious piece of work being California Chrome. Godolphin's retained jockey William Buick, who has been booked to ride the 4-year-old in a red-hot renewal of the Prince Of Wales's S., swapped seats with regular exercise rider Robbie Mills to breeze over the watered gallop adjacent to the Rowley Mile, with California Chrome quickening impressively past his unnamed partner from Rae Guest's stable when squeezed on by Buick in the untimed workout. Speaking later at the press conference, trainer Art Sherman, a recent arrival in the UK, expressed his delight in the appearance of his stable star. He said: “He's been in really good hands over here. Rae Guest and Robbie Mills have done a great job with him. I'm happy to have William Buick riding for us – I think it's a great help.” Sherman added that his Los Alamitos barn has felt pretty empty without California Chrome, saying: “We miss him. I've had so many people asking me when he's coming home. It's so hard to keep one going as long as he has. He must be the soundest horse I've trained but I always worry about that. He looks great right now but he'll be going to the breeding shed at the end of the year.” In California Chrome's stall back home stands a 2-year-old colt with big shoes to fill who goes by the portentous name of Mucho Chrome (Macho Uno). “He's chestnut with a white face and he reminds me so much of Chrome I had to put him in his stall as I couldn't stand to see it empty,” said Sherman. “He's training real good at the moment.”

Brazen Beau (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), a dual Group 1 winner over Flemington's straight six furlongs for trainer Chris Waller, was the last of the internationals to appear and he looked right at home on the wide, sweeping turf of Newmarket's famous Limekilns gallop as he completed a swinging canter under Waller's assistant Joanne Taylor. She later told the press corps: “I couldn't have asked for a better horse to travel the world with – he's an absolute pleasure to deal with. You wouldn't even really realise he's a colt, he's so laidback and takes everything in his stride.” The neat, dark brown 3-year-old is still very much an entire, however, and will be joining Darley's stallion roster at the culmination of his racing career. At Royal Ascot he is engaged in the G1 five-furlong King's Stand S. on Tuesday and Saturday's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. over six furlongs. Owner Grant Morgan ruled out “doing a Choisir” and running in both, confirming that Waller will have the final say. The preference appears to be for the latter, in which Craig Williams will take the ride with Joao Moreira unable to be at Ascot in the later part of next week.

Moreira will however be aboard Able Friend in a thrilling curtain-raiser to the meeting in next Tuesday's G1 Queen Anne S. The mighty liver chestnut 5-year-old, who stands at almost 17 hands high, has teamed up well with the 'Magic Man' to win his last six starts, including the G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin May 3. His trainer John Moore's son George is overseeing his preparation in Newmarket, where he first ventured out onto the Heath on Monday morning after arriving late on Saturday. “He has the absolutely perfect temperament for a racehorse,” said Moore. “We were travelling for almost 22 hours, including being stuck on the tarmac in Dubai for three hours in 85-degree heat but he barely lost a pound. He was straight into his water bucket and feed when we got here and has taken it all really well.” He added: “We're proud to be one of the best horses in Hong Kong and with the season coming to an end it's the perfect time to travel over and show that he's the best horse in the world right now on ratings.” 

Robert Smerdon's G1 Oakleigh Plate-winning mare Shamal Wind (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) may get more than she bargained for during her trip north from Australia as the trainer confirmed that the plan is for her to be covered by a European stallion – possibly Sea The Stars (Ire) – to southern hemisphere time after her run in the King's Stand S. He said: “She's a run-on sprinter so that takes quite a bit of expertise from the jockey. She has an explosive burst but it's a short burst so it has to be timed right. We're lucky to have the services of Ryan Moore. She's a tough mare and she's always had a determined attitude. She has a very good record off a break over 1000 metres.” 

Gai Waterhouse rarely misses Royal Ascot whether she has a runner or not. She brought Bentley Biscuit (Aus) (Peintre Celebre) to run in the King's Stand S. of 2007 but he disappointed by finishing last of 20. She said: “I rang up [Takeover Target's trainer] Joe Janiak and said 'how come the champion trainer finishes last and the taxi driver wins?' So I asked him to give me a few tips and he said, 'Keep him fresh, Gai'.” Janiak's advice will be put to the test on Wandjina, who was last seen fighting valiantly with Dissident (Aus) (Sebring [Aus}) when losing out by a head in the G1 All Aged S. at Randwick April 18. Described by his trainer as “versatile” when it comes to distance, he takes his chance in the Diamond Jubilee S. for Dr Edmund Bateman, who is also part-owner of Golden Slipper winner Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). 
Breaking the mould of Australian sprinters being sent to conquer Royal Ascot is Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}), who will line up against California Chrome, The Grey Gatsby (Ire), Ectot (Ire) and co in the 10-furlong Prince Of Wales's S. Trainer David Hayes explained his bold decision to take on the Europeans “at their own game”, saying, “His owner Sir Owen Glenn gave me clearance to come here if I thought we could be competitive. This is going to be a bit tougher than the Queen Elizabeth S. but I think 2000 metres right-handed round Ascot will suit him well and [jockey] Chad Schofield said he handled the undulations of the track when he galloped him there. It would be as good as anything the stable has ever achieved to come here and win at Royal Ascot.” It's an opinion that Hayes is not alone in holding, which is what makes the meeting the highlight of the British turf season for racefans the world over.