Royal Ascot: Love Reigns and Twilight Gleaming head US challenge for trainer Wesley Ward | Racing News

Wesley Ward’s Royal Ascot group is taking form and is ready to type a part of a formidable abroad challenge on the assembly.

Ward’s Love Reigns, fourth in final yr’s Queen Mary, and Twilight Gleaming, second in the identical race two years in the past, are each on the right track to return. They may very well be joined by Brad Cox’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint heroine Caravel.

Ward stated: “Love Reigns and Twilight Gleaming are doing nice. They are each coming off good comeback wins and their proprietor Barbara Banke (of Stonestreet Stables) is absolutely wanting ahead to getting them over there. She loves Ascot as a lot as me and we’re all excited.

“I was really happy with Love Reigns in the Limestone Stakes. She had to switch a couple of times in the run but showed a great attitude to get up on the line, while Twilight Gleaming showed a lot of speed in her comeback race.

“Twilight Gleaming will certainly go for the King’s Stand Stakes, whereas Love Reigns can have an entry there and within the Commonwealth Cup.”

Ward has made his title successful the juvenile contests at Ascot and American Rascal, a son of his Queen Mary and King’s Stand winner Lady Aurelia, made a giant impression when successful on his debut.

“American Rascal has come out of his first race in super shape. The team at Stonestreet really liked him and it was exciting to see him produce a performance like that,” stated Ward.

“Fandom looks another good prospect after his debut win on the grass and we also have some nice two-year-olds to run at Belmont, so we will see what else unfolds in the coming days.

“Bledsoe has already travelled over to England and will run in a novice race at Ascot on May 13. He received America’s first two-year-old race of the yr on the filth at Keeneland however his mom Shrinking Violet was a a number of stakes winner of the turf, so we’re wanting ahead to getting him on the grass.”

Classic Causeway amongst sturdy worldwide challenge

Kenny McPeek’s Classic Causeway may very well be a uncommon American runner within the Prince of Wales’s Stakes whereas Jorge Delgado’s New York Thunder is a attainable for the Commonwealth Cup.

There seems set to be a robust Australian illustration within the dash contests, with Artorius again for extra having completed third within the Platinum Jubilee final yr.

Trainer Sam Freedman stated: “Artorius had his first improving gallop the other day, having come off a bit of a fresh. He seems to be shaping up really well and will have a couple of trials over here before we put him on the plane.

“I feel he’s undoubtedly hitting Royal Ascot this yr in higher type than he was 12 months in the past. He is just not far off the likes of Anamoe and his win within the Canterbury has labored out, with the runner-up Imperatriz occurring to win one other Group One.

“There are a few Aussies coming over again this year. I think you will see a decent filly in the King’s Stand in Coolangatta and then you have an older horse in The Astrologist, who is right around the mark. Our horse proved last year that he is up to competing over there and, provided a few things go his way, we would be very hopeful of another big performance.”

Coolangatta is skilled by David Eustace, son of former Newmarket handler, James, in partnership with Ciaron Maher.

“Coolangatta galloped yesterday and will have her first proper workout next week. She has improved again physically from the Lightning Stakes and we feel we are ahead of the game in terms of her preparation,” stated Eustace.

“We are stepping into the unknown when it comes to international travel but Coolangatta has done a lot of travelling around Australia and is used to being in unfamiliar places. We are hopeful that she will handle that side of things well but you never know until you do it.

“We assume the 1,000 metres of the King’s Stand, with the uphill end, seems preferrred and real quick floor might be to her benefit as effectively.”

The Astrologist, skilled by Leon and Troy Corstens, is already within the UK and will soak up a prep race forward of Ascot having run in Dubai.

“He has settled beautifully in Newmarket – he is a very adaptable horse and enjoys the travel. The plan is for him to have a racecourse gallop this week on the Rowley Mile in preparation for the 1895 Duke of York Stakes,” stated Troy Corstens.

“He will then head to Royal Ascot for the Platinum Jubilee. We feel that this will be the perfect race for him. He is a renowned straight-track horse in Australia and we feel the testing course of Ascot will suit him immensely.”