Ward Pair to Skip Guineas, Ascot Aim

Trainer Wesley Ward will aim GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Hootenanny (Quality Road) and GI Del Mar Debutante S. heroine Sunset Glow (Exchange Rate) at Royal Ascot after scratching them from the G1 QIPCO 2000 and G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas respectively. Both horses could now take their chance in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, the new Group 1 sprint at the big June meeting. Hootenanny was an impressive winner of the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot last summer while Sunset Glow was second to subsequent Group 1 winner Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor) in the G3 Albany S. also at that meeting. The pair were in action recently with Hootenanny making mincemeat of his three rivals in a Keeneland allowance over 5 1/2 furlongs Saturday while Sunset Glow was third in the GIII Appalachian S. over a mile on the same course a week earlier. 

“It's just the races at Newmarket are a bit too close to their last run,” said Ward. “I like to give my horses some time between starts. If Sunset Glow had won her race, then the Guineas would have been something we'd look at but unfortunately she got beat. There were no excuses so that's the reason we are not bringing them to Newmarket. 

Ward added, “For Hootenanny I've been looking at 30 days from race-to-race or train him straight for the Commonwealth Cup, the new Group 1. I think he's going to want to go further, but the way he ran at Ascot last year and on Saturday he's going to be a demon going shorter. He loves the course so we're trying to go on the same lines. I like to run sprinters fresh in their races and I think he can go right from his last race here and just tear the barn down and be ready to roll. I just hope my jockey [Frankie Dettori] is free and not needed by Sheikh Joann Al Thani.” 

“I've got Sunset Glow nominated as well for the Commonwealth,” the trainer continued. “The owner is very keen to get to Ascot. He had a wonderful experience last year when she was second. She's doing really well and I'm looking forward to taking her back. I'm expecting big things from her as well.”