Ready, Willing and Able?

Royal Ascot’s 2015 extravaganza gets underway Tuesday and one of the most eagerly awaited feasts is this year’s curtain-raiser, the £375,000 G1 Queen Anne S. over the straight mile. Alain and Gerard Wertheimer’s Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), who has garnered nine of his last 10 starts, served a lengthy apprenticeship over a variety of trips before exploding onto the Group 1 stage with a daylight romp in the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan, and he was just as effective when besting a select field in the May 24 G1 Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp last time. 

The gelded bay, who sticks to trainer Freddy Head’s long-term plan of dropping back to this stiff mile, is marginal favorite with Britain’s bookmaker corps, but is rated one pound shy of Hong Kong superstar Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) in Longines’ World Thoroughbred Rankings. Dr. and Mrs. Cornel Li Fook Kwan’s imposing liver chestnut has raced exclusively at Sha Tin’s tight oval in his last 16 starts and has reeled off six wins on the bounce, including four at the highest level. He lines up for this European debut coming off a mightily impressive score, winning hard held on the bridle, in the May 3 G1 Champions Mile at the Hong Kong venue. 

“Able Friend is one of the best horses we have ever trained in Hong Kong,” commented assistant trainer George Moore. “We had him from when he was a yearling and he has such a great temperament. When you take him out on the track in the mornings, he looks around and takes everything in. He has pretty much the perfect mentality for a racehorse. He is not usually the type of horse you would pick out at the sales, as he is a big, gross horse, but he was always very athletic and looked great from behind. He traveled really well from Hong Kong and has proven himself the best miler there. With our season closing July, Royal Ascot comes at the perfect time to prove himself the best horse in the world, ratings wise. I don’t think going over the straight mile at Ascot will be an issue, as he has a very big stride on him and good-to-firm ground will suit. In Hong Kong, Able Friend has such a big following that he really is Hong Kong’s horse. I hope he can do everyone proud.” 

Waiting in the wings should either of those two fluff their lines, is the Richard Hannon-trained pair Night of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Toormore (Ire) (Arakan), who represent a stable successful three times in the last six renewals, including last year with Toronado (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Night of Thunder, who captured last term’s G1 2000 Guineas before running second to Guineas runner-up Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 St James’s Palace S. here, regained the winning thread and provided Godolphin with an immediate return on investment in the May 16 G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury, besting Toormore in snug fashion. The stablemates have met on four prior occasions with Night of Thunder superior in each. 

“Able Friend and Solow stand in our way and they are two very good horses, so, while we went there last year expecting Toronado to win, this time around we are hoping more than expecting,” admitted Hannon. “Whatever their fate here, I feel that both will improve on what they did at Newbury, though to win they will probably have to. We think Night of Thunder will come on between four and five pounds as he did so well physically through the winter. He was in front plenty soon enough in the Lockinge, but James Doyle knows him better now and he did a smashing piece of work last Tuesday with Ivawood. Remember, he is the only horse to have ever beaten Kingman, so don’t underestimate him. However, we feel that Toormore needed his Newbury run more than Night of Thunder, so he too has to go there with a solid chance. He is looking and moving great again now and we are happy with both of them.”