RACING NEWS

DELEGATOR, RUNNER-UP in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, will have a new jockey in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot next week as Jimmy Fortune is to replace Jamie Spencer.

Fortune rode the Brian Meehan-trained colt in his first two starts as a juvenile, although Spencer has been his regular partner since then, winning the Craven in great style before the pair found only Sea The Stars too good in the Guineas.

Delegator got stuck in the mud in the Irish Guineas last time out, finishing eighth of the nine runners to Mastercraftsman, who was only fifth at Newmarket.

Meehan believes Delegator has a “great chance” of landing his first Group One success in Tuesday’s mile showpiece. “Delegator has been working very well and he is in great form,” he said.

“We are very keen to run and, if the ground is right for him, he has a great chance. If conditions remain something like they are at Ascot now, he will definitely take his chance.”

Fortune said: “I’m delighted to come in for the ride, he’s obviously a top-class colt and hopefully the ground will be more favourable for him than when he ran in Ireland.”

Multiple Group One winner Lush Lashes is set to return to the scene of one of her finest triumphs for Wednesday’s Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Jim Bolger’s filly won three races at the highest level last year, including the Coronation Stakes, and is sure to take some beating in the Group Two contest having found soft ground against her on her seasonal reappearance in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Spacious, who finished in front of Lush Lashes in the 1,000 Guineas, is on a retrieval mission after failing to recapture her best since Newmarket.

James Fanshawe’s filly is owned by Cheveley Park Stud, as is Michael Stoute’s possible representative, Heaven Sent.