Regal Rematch
Longchamp’s juvenile contests on Arc day have so far this season proved highly pertinent to the Classic form, and the two main fillies who contested the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), meet again in Friday’s G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot. The former emerged on top by 2 1/2 lengths in that contest, but there is a feeling that Ballydoyle’s ‘TDN Rising Star’–who is a daughter of the star miler Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab)–has yet to click this term while Ervedya has improved. Aidan O’Brien had considered running Found in the Epsom Derby before she was second in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh May 24, so she is obviously a filly that has impressed at home for a long time. “We were absolutely delighted with her [in the Irish Guineas]. She ran a great race and finished really well,” he explained. “We’ve been very happy since. Obviously she’ll stay at a mile for this race, but we might step up after that. She won around Longchamp going right-handed, so hopefully she will be okay at Ascot.” Ryan Moore added, “Things just haven’t quite worked out for her so far this year, but I’m hopeful she goes to Ascot with a very good chance. We think a lot of her.” His Highness The Aga Khan’s Ervedya has gone from strength to strength since her defeat in the Marcel Boussac, winning the G3 Prix Imprudence over seven furlongs on testing ground at Maisons-Laffitte Apr. 2 before defying a poor draw to follow up in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches on livelier ground at Longchamp May 10. “We are facing stiff competition, but the filly has traveled well and everything is as good as it can be. She is ready,” The Aga Khan’s Racing Manager, Georges Rimaud, said. “There are no issues with fast ground or soft ground. She is equally competitive on either–as long as it’s safe we are happy. It is a difficult race, but this is normal and what you would expect.”
Just three-quarters of a length behind Ervedya in the Poulains was Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), who had earlier been sixth in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 3. Rick Barnes’s bargain buy would prefer easier ground, but jockey Fergus Sweeney is in positive mood. “We thought at the start of the year a mile would be her absolute minimum, but now we’re not quite so sure. I’m confident she has improved since France and it gives you a good chance. There are a lot of good fillies there, but I can’t see why she shouldn’t be good enough.”
In front of Irish Rookie at Newmarket was Godolphin’s Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal), who found only Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) three-quarters of a length too strong and arrives here fresh. Also in the royal blue is the John Gosden trainee Sperry (Ire) (Shamardal), who is on the upgrade after wins in a course-and-distance conditionsevent Apr. 29 and over the re-opposing Yasmeen (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in York’s Listed Michael Seely Memorial S. over this trip May 15. David Elsworth puts forward Jeff Smith’s G3 Princess Elizabeth S. winner Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was hugely impressive over an extended mile in that June 5 Epsom contest. Despite winning the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. over six furlongs at Newmarket in July, the homebred had given the impression she had plateaued at sprint trips, and her jump up the ratings last time suggests she has been crying out for this trip. “This is the toughest assignment Arabian Queen has ever had, it’s a race full of quality and will probably be won by the best 3-year-old mile filly in Europe. It’s a big ask for her but believe you me, she’s a very good filly,” Elsworth explained. “She’s in good form having come out of her Epsom win well. In the end she had quite an easy race there and she’s going to go to Ascot ready to run to her full potential. I think there’s still some improvement in her. She made the running both at Epsom, because we wanted to take advantage of her good draw, and when she won her Group 2 last season because it just unfolded that way. But I would be quite happy for her to take a lead from something.”