Dermot Weld confirms Hazapour for Group 1 mission in Queen Anne

Hazapour is set to lead Dermot Weld's bid to train an 18th Royal Ascot winner this year – 46 years after his first.

No current trainer was sending out winners at the royal meeting as long ago as Weld, who first struck with Klairvimy in the 1973 King Edward VII Stakes and last tasted success with Free Eagle in the 2015 Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Hazapour, who achieved his second Group 3 success when scoring at Leopardstown last month, will represent the veteran trainer in the opening Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday week.

The Aga Khan-owned four-year-old was dropped to a mile to win the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown, after which Weld said that was probably the colt's optimum distance.

Speaking on Friday, Weld said: "Hazapour came out of his Leopardstown race well and goes for the Queen Anne."

Weld also has a live contender for the Hunt Cup in 16-1 shot Jassaar, who has won his last two starts and landed a premier handicap over seven furlongs at the Curragh last month. That form received a boost when the runner-up Flight Risk landed the Listed Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday.

The Moyglare Stud-owned Falcon Eight, winner of two of his four starts, is a 20-1 shot for the Gold Cup, which Weld won with Rite Of Passage in 2010, and dual winner Georgeville, owned by Khalid Abdullah, is under consideration for a step up in grade in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over 1m2f.

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