A TRI-NATIONS clash of Europe’s top classic heroines at a mile is the perfect scenario for today’s Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and Elusive Wave can make it another Group One highlight to remember for the French.
The Longchamp 1,000 Guineas winner faces 10 opponents including the Newmarket Guineas scorer Ghanaati as well as David Wachman’s Curragh heroine, Again.
Ryan Moore steps in for the sidelined Johnny Murtagh and Again leads a strong Irish challenge on the race that includes her stable companion Chintz, as well as John Oxx’s Baliyana and the Ballydoyle hope, Heart Shaped.
However, 48 hours after a memorable Prince Of Wales’s success for Vision d’Etat, the in-form Jean Claude Rouget-Christophe Lemaire combination can take another major prize across La Manche.
Rouget and Lemaire have dominated the year in France so far and came close to that Prince Of Wales’s themselves courtesy of the third, Never On Sunday, who was only narrowly beaten despite playing up badly in the preliminaries.
That shows the level of form that Rouget’s horses are in and despite a stall one draw today, Elusive Wave can make the long journey from South West France very worthwhile.
Only beaten once in her career to date, she was an impressive winner at Longchamp where her stable companion Tamezirte finished runner-up, a position she also took in the French Oaks.
“She is a very tough filly and will handle the ground,” Lemaire said yesterday while Rouget added: “The outside draw is not a help but she is an easy ride and I feel if she keeps to the level she showed in the Pouliches she can win.”
The ground could yet prove an issue for Again who ploughed through mud to beat Lahaleeb at the Curragh although Wachman is confident she acts on anything apart from very fast conditions.
There has been widespread praise for the state of the course this week but it’s likely any rain would suit Again more than most.
In contrast, Heart Shaped can hardly have it hard enough, while strictly on form, Baliyana has something to find in this company although her trainer hardly targets Group One prizes for nothing.
Ghanaati thrived on almost concrete conditions at Newmarket but that hasn’t stopped both Rainbow View and Lahaleeb coming back for another crack at her.
In the circumstances it could be worth betting that the French form holds up best this afternoon.
Aidan O’Brien throws six runners at today’s races including both Black Bear Island and Hail Caesar at the King Edward VII Stakes. Colm O’Donoghue again teams up with the Dante winner who beat only two home in the Derby but Black Bear Island does have to concede a Group Two penalty today. O’Brien’s call to run him again so quickly though looks significant.
Lillie Langtry is the Ballydoyle hope in the opening Albany Stakes but the form of the American juvenile team flown across by Wes Ward this week has been staggering and he rates Aegean the best of the lot of them. If that’s correct the 21 other rivals face a big task.
Richard Hughes teams up with Tony Martin for the ride on Salute Him in the Wolferton Handicap and there was a lot to like about the way this versatile sort won at Navan on his last start.
Hughes could also figure in the concluding Buckingham Palace Stakes aboard Redford, while Michael Jarvis has a fine Queens Vase record and can edge out Stately Home with the Chepstow winner Dhushan.
