IT’S not going to be Royal Ascot as we know it – but Wesley Ward will still provide the American muscle.
The Kentucky-based trainer targets the five-day meeting religiously and has already shipped a seven-strong team across the pond.
Ward’s plans have been disrupted this year with the cancellation of the Keeneland spring meeting, where he usually unleashes his smartest two-year-olds.
But he has been able to utilise his satellite barn in Florida to run his youngsters at Gulfstream Park in Miami, where racing has continued uninterrupted during the pandemic.
He told Sun Racing: “Nothing much has changed for us, we are still getting up every morning and training horses.
“Losing the spring meeting at Keeneland sure disrupted our plans, but we are moving forward the best we can.
“It’s been a tough time for everyone, we are all in the same boat. I would have liked to have had all the horses up in Kentucky with early April starts and had plenty of time to prepare them, but like everyone else right now you have just got to play the hand you’re dealt.”
With the Royal Ascot behind-closed-doors and overseas arrivals having the self-isolate for 14 days, Ward’s decision to stay at home this year was a straightforward one.
He said: “I won’t be coming this year for the first time in 11 years which is really sad, it’s the highlight of our year coming over, but we will be watching from home on NBC.
“My eldest son, Riley, who is 21, has been coming over since he was 10 and he has developed some great friendships with kids his age, so he is really bummed out that he can’t make the trip to reunite with his buddies.”
But long-term plans have been in place in the event that coronavirus would cause travel disruption.
Ward has two European-based members of staff looking after his horses in Newmarket and he’s enlisted the services of a champion jockey to help with their prep.
He said: “I had a guy from France who worked here with me and he went home in early March, and a guy from England who also headed home at the same time.
“They were there ready and waiting for us to send some horses over, so we already have staff over there and it’s worked out well.
“I’ve had Kieren Fallon coming in every day and getting on the horses, which has been fantastic. He has been pleased with how they’re going and things seem to be going well ahead of next week.”
Ward’s best chance of an 11th Royal Ascot winner could come in the shape of Norfolk Stakes contender Golden Pal.
He was second on debut at Gulfstream on dirt but his trainer reckons he will come alive on the turf.
He said: “I’ve got a really nice colt for the Norfolk called Golden Pal.
“He was second on his debut when he ran away with the jockey and opened up by six or seven lengths in the early stages of the race. He was narrowly beaten in the end but he was fighting back at the finish.
“I’ve got real high hopes for him, he is by Uncle Mo and his mother was just beaten in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint against the boys. He loves the grass. He could be my best shot.”
He is likely to be ridden by Frankie Dettori, who has also been secured for the ride on leading Windsor Castle Stakes contender Sunshine City.
Ward continued: “Sunshine City is bred to be a turf filly. She really got going strongly in the stretch when she won her only start on the dirt, but she is much better on the grass.
“I’m really looking forward to her, she will run in the Windsor Castle along with Sheriff Bianco who ran a really nice race to finish second at Churchill from an outside draw. The gate is right on the bend there so he was wide the whole time. He’s a nice colt.
“Frankie will ride Sunshine City and Oisin Murphy will ride Sheriff Bianco.”
Three-year-old Kimari was touched off by the Dettori-ridden Raffle Prize in the Queen Mary last season, and she returns this term for a crack at the Commonwealth Cup.
Ward joked: “The great Frankie just got us last year. Not that my jockey Johnny Velazquez did anything wrong, he’s a champion.
“But when it comes to Royal Ascot there is none better than Frankie. He said he was sorry after the race and I said ‘I’m sure you are’!
“But Kimari ran a great race. She clearly handles the track and she will go to the Commonwealth. She has shipped over nicely.”
He added: “I’ve got two in the Queen Mary, Campanelle and Royal Approval who are very nice fillies.
“Royal Approval actually went off favourite but Campanelle managed to beat her when they raced against each other on debut, so Campanelle surprised us a little.
“It’s a little close as they only ran on 31 May and they’ve shipped from Miami to England, but both have travelled over well and both are very talented.
“And Flying Aletha is a nice filly. She beat a nice one of ours called Lime on debut and she is another one who will love the grass. We are going to the Albany with her and she should run well.
“We only take horses over who we think will improve on the grass as the races are so tough. I think we have a good team this year.”
