Fresh from bagging just the second Royal Ascot Group One of his career, thanks to Profitable in Tuesday’s big sprint, Clive Cox has an intriguing prospect in Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes. My Dream Boat (4.20) is a 16-1 shot in a six-horse field so there are more obvious contenders but he had been very progressive until his flop last time and excuses can be made for that.
The Japanese runner A Shin Hikari was the cynosure in that race, Chantilly’s Prix d’Ispahan, as he eased clear and won by an official margin of 10 lengths. But back in the pack My Dream Boat had had no run at all, being settled in the rear and then held in by a rival as he tried to make his challenge. Once he saw daylight, he ran on quite nicely.
Even better luck in running would not be enough for him to reverse the form with A Shin Hikari if that one turned in a similar effort but it is asking a lot for the favourite to be as good again on only his second start after travelling around the world.
My Dream Boat could be the one to give him a scare, being proven on this kind of ground. He showed real class when coming from last to first to win the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in April and Adam Kirby, aboard that day, returns to the saddle.
The soft ground that will prevail here all week is probably a hindrance to half this field, though Western Hymn might be able to cope, having won a French Group Two on a soft surface in 2014. Found can still run some kind of race but her best form has been on a much drier surface than the one she will race on this time.
2.30 Few horses can have lined up for this with 16 races already behind them but the French-trained Ross Castle was made to work hard for his living as a two-year-old. It does not seem to have counted against him, given he has been able to win three times this year already, and he now seems on a strong upward curve, having finished powerfully to land a Group Three at Maisons-Laffitte last time. His pedigree and the way he races give hope he will appreciate the extra distance and, at 33-1, there is quite a bit to like about this colt from an unsung French yard that is just starting to have some success. Castle Harbour is a likeable favourite, unbeaten and representing the John Gosden/Frankie Dettori axis, but this is a step up from the handicap he won last time.
3.05 On what may be a big day for French trainers, Henri-Francois Devin’s Al Johrah has strong claims for this Queen Mary. Unbeaten in two, this half-sister to the Craven winner, Stormy Antarctic, was quite impressive on a testing surface at Chantilly last time. Lady Aurelia, the US-trained favourite, may find this surface quite a challenge.
3.40 Andre Fabre could be the third Frenchman into the winner’s enclosure, thanks to Usherette, who took her record to five wins from six in a Group Two at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting, when there were Group One winners behind her at level weights. She has the look of a horse who is just passing through this grade on her way to the top. While she has not yet been tried on a surface like this, she has a sister who won on heavy.
5.00 A winner over this course and distance on similar ground last July, Portage has an obvious chance. Trained for Godolphin in Ireland, he kept on really stoutly that day and did so again when reappearing at The Curragh recently, showing his versatility by scoring over a longer distance on a faster surface. It’s too early to be sure about any draw advantage but the far side certainly does not seem the wrong place to be.
5.35 From the Ed Dunlop yard that is having a much better year than in 2015, Sharaakah might be sailing below a few radars, including that of the handicapper. Beaten only by the Group-class Nemoralia in a Doncaster handicap in September, she ran well above her rating when an unlucky seventh in a Group Three in October. Bred to appreciate some cut, she is overpriced at 28-1.
