Promising colt Royal Insignia has returned to work and is being aimed towards a potential first-up tilt in the Aurie’s Star Handicap in early August, with trainer Grahame Begg optimistic about his development ahead of the spring.
After finishing unplaced in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in March, where he was tried over a mile for the first time, Royal Insignia was sent for a spell. He has now been back in work for two weeks and is building fitness ahead of his four-year-old season.
The stakes-winning colt, a full brother to 2018 Blue Diamond winner and stallion Written By, has won three of his seven starts. His most recent preparation began with a sharp first-up win in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Sandown in January.
He subsequently started favourite in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) on a soft track but could only finish midfield, before drawing wide and finishing unplaced in the Australian Guineas.
Begg believes the best is still to come from Royal Insignia as he continues to mature physically and mentally.
“Absolutely, he’s pretty untapped,” Begg said.
“We put him straight out after the Guineas.
“He’s come back in and we’ll probably just keep him to shorter distance races.
“He didn’t have a lot of luck in his last two starts. In the CS Hayes he ended up getting on a pretty wet track, which he doesn’t like.
“Then in the Guineas he drew one of the outside gates and went back to near last and it was very hard to make up ground, the way the race was run.
“He’s had a good break and he looks good. He’s furnished into a really imposing horse. He was always a good-looking horse.”
Begg plans to keep the colt to 1200m–1400m races and is hopeful of striking firm surfaces, which have proven key to Royal Insignia’s best form.
“He’ll probably earmark a race possibly like the Aurie’s Star first-up,” Begg said.
“He needs good ground. The two times he’s run on rain-affected ground he’s failed. We’ve known that all along.”
To follow Royal Insignia’s spring return and find odds for the Aurie’s Star Handicap and other races, check markets at trusted Australian betting sites.
