Flightline's trainer is excited about his first Royal Ascot runner - and he already can't wait to return

Royal Ascot will be graced by two esteemed American visitors today. One is the Fonz. The other is the man who enjoyed many a happy day training the modern era's greatest dirt horse.

Acclaimed actor Henry Winkler will be presenting the prizes following the Jersey Stakes, by when John Sadler will have sent out his first ever Royal Ascot runner.

Missed The Cut, successful for George Boughey in the 2022 Golden Gates Handicap, is now based in California with Sadler, whose name is synonymous with Flightline, the racing legend who ended his extraordinary career two years ago with an international rating of 140, making him officially the equal of Frankel.

Although Missed The Cut is two-stone inferior to Flightline, he is far from without a chance in the Hardwicke Stakes, which Sadler prepared for when setting foot on Ascot's soil for the first time on Friday.

Missed The Cut will be seeking to win at Royal Ascot for the second time this afternoonCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I came yesterday, mainly so I knew where to go today!" said Sadler. 

"It was an incredible experience. In fact, I left the racecourse thinking, 'Jeez, I hope I have some horses to come back here a second time'. When you put quality racing on a stage like this, you are always going to do well – and what I gleaned from yesterday is your biggest days really work as events. 

"My last trip to Britain was wonderful, too. We came to London because Flightline had won the Longines World's Best Racehorse Award. That was like coming for a big race that you already knew you had won. It was a great trip and it whetted my appetite to come here."

Assessing Missed The Cut's prospects, Sadler said: "We know he can stay the distance, he doesn't need medication and he is already a Royal Ascot winner. He looks like a good fit, so we really aren't coming just for the trip. The horse has been showing nice, honest form in California and he has been doing really well but, that said, I think he is entering the deep end of the pool.

"I see Aidan O'Brien, John Gosden and William Haggas all have runners in our race, and one of them finished fifth when beaten just over three lengths in the Arc de Triomphe, which is top-level stuff. I'm pretty conservative by nature, but I do think if we finish in the top four we'll have run a big race."

Read these next:

'He's the best juvenile I've seen this season' - David Jennings answers the burning questions on day five at Royal Ascot 

Harry Wilson returns with more Royal Ascot tips for the final day after finding a 7-2 winner on Friday 

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