Sands Of Mali heads team as Cool Silk partners look to add to Royal Ascot tally

The Cool Silk partners, successful with Prince Of Lir in the 2016 Norfolk Stakes, are full of hope they can revisit the hallowed Royal Ascot winner's enclosure next week when they are set to have six runners at the meeting.

The Richard Fahey-trained Sands Of Mali – winner of the Group 1 Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot last October and now part-owned with Phoenix Thoroughbreds – will be the syndicate's flag-bearer in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee next Saturday, for which he is a top-priced 14-1 for the Diamond Jubilee in a market headed by 3-1 shot Invincible Army.

Syndicate founder and Scunthorpe United chairman Peter Swann said: "We bought nine horses at the breeze-ups this year and have five other potential runners at Ascot.

"Just having a runner there is a dream let alone one capable of winning or being placed, but when you get the first winner you want to do it again," added Swann, who is still recovering from Scunthorpe's relegation from League One last month.

Peter Swann (left) and other members of the Cool Silk Partnership cheer on Prince Of Lir in the 2016 Norfolk StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Summer Sands is set to line up in the Coventry Stakes on the opening day and Swann said: "He's a big horse with lots of scope who handles soft ground and put in a cracking performance at Beverley when he beat the Woodcote runner-up."

Majestic Sands, also entered in the Coventry, could wait for later in the week as he prefers better ground.

Moon Of Love, an unlucky third on debut at Beverely this month, looks set for the Queen Mary, while Flaming Princess, another who would prefer a sounder surface, holds an entry for the 5f Group 2 but could wait for the Albany Stakes on the Friday.

Swann said: "Moon Of love was unlucky not to win the Hilary Needler as Barry [McHugh] was lucky to stay on her."

Last but not least Cool Sphere, who finished runner-up to Majestic Sands at Leicester, could be on duty in the Norfolk Stakes.

The five cost a touch over 500,000gns and two, Summer Sands and Flaming Princess, will be running for a £100,000 bonus for graduates of the Ascot breeze-up who go on to win at the royal meeting.

The outlay is put into some perspective when Swann tells how he turned down £750,000 for Prince Of Lir before the son of Kodiac started the partnership's love affair with the royal meeting.

"If they'd offered a million they would have had a Norfolk Stakes winner," said Swann, who means business again having turned down offers for this year's crop.

"It's exciting times and we're not going there to make up the numbers. Everyone is buzzing and we will drive down on Sunday and stay all week."

Prince Of Lir wins the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016Credit: Mark Cranham

Swann added: "Sands Of Mali is unlucky not to be two from two at Ascot as he did not get the greatest run in the Commonwealth Cup last year before his Champions Sprint win. He needed the blow at Hamilton and the ground went soft and he wasn't sharp away.

"It will bring him on leaps and bounds and I think it will be a difference performance at Ascot. When he jumps and is in front he is at his best, he is a Group 1 winner but I do worry about Invincible Army."

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