30 Jun All roads in June lead to Royal Ascot, the Olympic Games for all horse racing enthusiasts.
Debate in the lead up to Royal Ascot was the lack of international runners, but that didn’t stop the only Australian horse of the week Asfoora from making the locally trained sprinters all look distinctly average. What was more disconcerting for our sprinters, was that Asfoora hasn’t ever managed to win a Group 1 in Australia – she came down and put a length on, what is considered to be our best in division, is a mild wake up call regarding the depth of our sprinters. Asfoora was even described by record breaking trainer Chris Waller as ‘Just a B grade filly in Australia’. It was a superb effort from Ballarat handler Henry Dwyer to get her primed for the big day after a long year in training in Oz, a fully deserved victory for one of the industry’s nice guys. Let’s hope that her victory encourages more travel from the Southern Hemisphere in the coming years. Ascot thoroughly deserves more international runners as they’ve done such a good job to regularly increase prize money over the years.
JS Bloodstock Consultancy purchases came to the fore at Royal Ascot on the Saturday with Isle Of Jura taking out the famed Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes for the revitalised George Scott. Two years in a row JS Bloodstock’s purchased horses have taken Group 2’s at the prestigious meeting, not forgetting Rogue Millenium’s victory in the Duke Of Cambridge last year.
Credit should be given to George Scott for his campaigning of Isle Of Jura – a horse who first got his head in front off of a mark of 71, just less than 12 months ago before storming home to victory at Royal Ascot. George and his team broke records in Bahrain when guiding the big horse through a famous Triple Crown win under the watchful eyes of owner Shaikh Nasser of Victorious Racing. Even after a tough winter in Bahrain, the horse was able to make a winning reappearance in the UK at Goodwood, followed by this unimaginable win at the illustrious meeting. Evidence of the ability and maturity George and his team have shown in training the talented galloper, he has now racked up more than £460,000 in prize money and holds an official rating of 119. Attention now turns to his next start in the King George in July.
Another JS Bloodstock purchase to have shown up well at the Royal meeting was Royal Supremacy, who started at a generous 33/1 having been supplemented in the Group 2 King Edward Stakes over twelve furlongs. Previously seen having ran into second place in the Italian Derby over one furlong shorter, Royal Supremacy showed he stayed the trip well at Ascot running a respectable third to the recently acquired, Wathnan Racing owned, Space Legend and the highly talented Aga Khan galloper Calanadagan.
Elsewhere Hettie Jack won second time out at Goodwood over five furlongs for trainer George Scott and owners The Trading Partnership. The Havana Gold filly was purchased from The Tattersalls Sommerville Sale for 25,000 Guineas.
Biniorella Bay won second time out for trainer Tom Clover and owners Hpb Racing. Second on debut, she looked a promising sort and backed up that performance when winning the fillies race at Newmarket. She was a Tattersalls Book 2 purchase for 50,000 Guineas, a New Bay filly out of Helmet mare, she’ll likely head straight to Deauville next for a Group 3 over 7 furlongs.