Who is hot heading into Royal Ascot? The in-form trainers and jockeys and their main hopes at the royal meeting
Ahead of five days of top-class Flat action at Royal Ascot we have identified the trainers and jockeys currently in form and their main chances of success next week . . .
TRAINERS
Simon and Ed Crisford
The training team of Simon and Ed Crisford head into Royal Ascot in fine fettle, with seven winners from their last 25 runners producing a healthy 28 per cent strike-rate.
The Crisfords hold a pair of live chances in the Royal Hunt Cup with Awaal and Croupier, horses who feature prominently in the ante-post betting for the prestigious handicap.
Awaal put up a solid performance when second in the Lincoln in March and strikes as the type with more to offer on the back of just six starts. Stablemate Croupier failed to beat a rival home in the Lincoln, but showed that effort to be all wrong when scoring at York next time out. The Royal Hunt Cup was nominated as his target afterwards and a 3lb rise looks far from insurmountable.
John and Thady Gosden
John and Thady Gosden look sure to hold a number of live chances across Royal Ascot and head into the week in flying form, with 11 of their last 42 runners winning for a strike-rate of 26 per cent.
Inspiral could begin the meeting with a bang in the opening Queen Anne Stakes, where she will attempt to supplement her success in last season’s Coronation Stakes.
Free Wind goes into Saturday's Hardwicke Stakes seeking a fifth consecutive victory. The daughter of Galileo impressed in the Middleton Stakes at York last time and now takes on the boys for just the second time in her career.
Jessica Harrington
Jessica Harrington has sent out 11 winners from her last 45 runners for a 24 per cent strike-rate and she has a select team heading to the royal meeting, headlined by Coventry Stakes contender Givemethebeatboys.
This Bungle Inthejungle colt has won both his starts, backing up a Navan maiden success when claiming the Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh last month.
Harrington is also likely to be represented by Sounds Of Heaven in the Coronation Stakes, a race she has won twice in the last five years with Alpha Centauri (2018) and Alpine Star (2020). Sounds Of Heaven was a Listed winner at York last time and comes into the Coronation open to plenty of improvement on the back of just three starts.
JOCKEYS
Joe Fanning
Joe Fanning is operating at a 34 per cent strike-rate in the last fortnight, with 16 of his 47 rides successful. He bids to maintain this hot streak with a number of strong Royal Ascot chances, notably Subjectivist in the Gold Cup.
Fanning partnered the six-year-old to Gold Cup glory in 2021 and has been aboard in both starts this year.
Subjectivist shaped with promise in the Dubai Gold Cup last time out and if back to anywhere near his 2021 race-winning form he should put up a bold showing in next Thursday's feature.
Oisin Murphy
Oisin Murphy had five winners at Royal Ascot in 2021 making him the leading rider at the meeting. Absent last year, Murphy will be hungry to regain his top jockey title next week and he heads into the meeting in fine form with 15 of his last 76 mounts winning for a 20 per cent strike-rate.
Murphy's association with Qatar Racing is sure to provide some strong chances at the royal meeting, and their Buckaroo is a particularly interesting runner in the opening day's Wolferton Stakes. This four-year-old was beaten just a neck in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan under Murphy last time and his last two wins have come at Listed level.
Murphy could also renew his partnership with 1,000 Guineas heroine Mawj in Friday's Coronation Stakes. The Godolphin-owned filly finished runner-up in the Albany Stakes at this meeting last year.
Kevin Stott
Kevin Stott has enjoyed a flying start to life as the retained rider for Amo Racing and is set to partner a number of exciting horses at Royal Ascot. Stott also finds himself in fine form, with eight of his last 41 rides winning for a 20 per cent strike-rate.
Amo Racing look set to be well represented in many of the main juvenile races at the royal meeting, but they also hold a potentially strong hand in the King Edward VII Stakes with Derby runner-up King Of Steel.
Stott came agonisingly close to success aboard the colt at Epsom last month and could gain redemption dropped to Group 2 level next week. King Of Steel is entitled to improve having made the track just three times to date and a repeat of his Derby showing is likely to suffice in this company.
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