Royal Ascot 2023 Tips - June 20-24

2023 Royal Ascot News - Wesley Ward Stable Tour

Conrad Castleton

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Last updated: Wed 14 Jun 2023 11:53

Conrad Castleton 14 Jun 2023

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We bring you the latest quotes from top US trainer Wesley Ward ahead of Royal Ascot 2023
This year's Royal Meeting kicks off on Tuesday 20th June
American Rascal, Fandom and Twilight Gleaming feature in Ward's raiding party

Trainer Wesley Ward at Royal Ascot. (Getty)

After drawing a blank at last year's Royal Meeting, top US trainer Wesley Ward will be hoping for better luck when he returns to Royal Ascot next week. Since his first victory in 2009, Ward has saddled 12 Royal winners, with his most recent success coming with Campanelle in the 2021 Commonwealth Cup.

With Royal Ascot now just days away, Wesley Ward has talked the Racing Post through his raiding party for 2023.

*All quotes attributed to the Racing Post*

Wesley Ward Royal Ascot 2023 Stable Tour - Two-Year-Olds

American Rascal - Norfolk Stakes

I've won the Norfolk Stakes (11/4 bet365) twice in the past and he stacks right up there with my 2013 winner No Nay Never.

Obviously being by Curlin out of Lady Aurelia there were high expectations from the start. Like his mother, it took him a bit of time to become accustomed to life when he came into training.

His first couple of breezes were good but they weren't phenomenal, so I put his first race off because I just hadn't seen what I wanted to see with a horse of such high expectations.

We then took him up to Keeneland and, on his third breeze, the light bulb came on and it was like watching an amazing athlete come out. We then ran him at Keeneland and he was scintillating.

There have been no physical issues and that's the good thing with him, he's very sound. He's the happiest guy you'll ever see and loves a buck and kick, but when you put a rider on him he's all business.

There's extra pressure with a horse with a pedigree like his, but I wear my heart on my sleeve and I've got to say what I feel. He's a smallish guy and not a big, robust colt, but he's built like a running back in American football. He's compact, agile and very fast.

I've selected Joel Rosario to ride him because he's more of a patient, European, sit-still type of rider. He likes to get the horse to relax and come with one big charge. That's what this horse can do, he doesn't have to go blazing early. He can break well, sit and then go, which is an advantage at Ascot.

Bundchen - Queen Mary Stakes

She's a filly by Gun Runner who is one of the top sires of predominantly dirt horses in America, but we identified early that her preferred surface was turf.

We had her entered in a turf race at Keeneland, but unfortunately there was a storm on the day and they switched the race to dirt. She led every jump of the way until the last couple of inches and lost only by a nose on a surface she wouldn't have preferred.

She's come back and had a couple of very nice bits of work on the turf at Keeneland since and we're looking forward to the Queen Mary Stakes (12/1 Star Sports) with her. I've won the Queen Mary with a maiden before when Acapulco scored in 2015, so we're very hopeful with this filly.

She's smart, intelligent and was purchased for $700,000, so you can imagine what she looks like.

Fandom - Coventry Stakes or Windsor Castle Stakes

He won his only race on turf at Keeneland by almost seven lengths and we're going to target either the Coventry Stakes or the Windsor Castle.

I haven't had much luck in the Coventry Stakes (10/1 bet365). It's a race everyone and their brother seems to want to win and it's produced many good horses over the years. He's a big colt and, physically, you'd think he'd be able to run the three-quarters of a mile in the Coventry, but it will be determined when we get a little closer and we see how both races are shaping up.

He's by Showcasing out of a Pivotal mare and definitely has an affinity with the turf. We put him and American Rascal together in a workout and I'd have to say American Rascal was better, but Fandom is very straightforward, came out blazing at Keeneland and has trained very well since.

Wesley Ward Royal Ascot 2023 Stable Tour - Older Horses

Twilight Gleaming - King's Stand Stakes

Her workouts have been phenomenal and she's got great experience of European travel having finished second in the Queen Mary two years ago before winning at Deauville two months later.

I'm really looking forward to this filly and she couldn't be sounder. She's eating up the ground here in her morning workouts at Keeneland, and she's coming into the race as good as you'd like to see any horse coming into the King's Stand Stakes. I know it's a Group 1 and probably the best turf sprint in the world, but she's certainly up to the task.

She had minor issues last season, which were holding her full potential back, but not this year. Her comeback race at Keeneland was beautiful and she's training super going into it. She's going to give you 127 per cent.

Love Reigns - Jersey Stakes or Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes

I've been training her to sprint so far and she's done quite well at it, but we're trying to find a race she'll be competitive in. The Jersey Stakes (7f) is one possibility, but we're also looking at the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes (5f).

We want to fit her in where we think she'd have her best chance and had even thought about the Sandringham (1m), which I've won before with Con Te Partiro, but we'll see about which race when we sit down with Barbara Banke's team at Stonestreet.

She ran really well to finish fourth in the Queen Mary last year but, for whatever reason, she and some of my other runners disappointed at the Breeders' Cup later in the autumn.

She was very impressive on her comeback at Keeneland in April. She got stuck behind runners, but in the last ten strides she broke through and, whoosh, off she went.

I think the fact she's already been to Ascot is a big advantage. Once a horse has gone and travelled and had the experience of running on a straight course, which we don't have in America, it really helps when they return the following year.

Verdict

Wesley Ward's Royal Ascot 2023 runners:

American Rascal

2023 Norfolk Stakes

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Twilight Gleaming

2023 King's Stand Stakes

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Fandom

2023 Coventry Stakes

@10/1 - 10 Units

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