It’s Royal Ascot for 2021, and the powerful Highclere Racing with this season’s 13 race wins and high 54.8% win-place success that’s looking to build on its already ten Royal Meeting victories.
It’s The Organiser who opens this Royal Ascot 2021 for Highclere on Day 1 in being $25 with Sportsbet in the Coventry Stakes of 6f for 2yo’s and will be ridden by David Egan.
Purchased by trainer Joseph Tuite, Highclere took a 50% share following his 3½l first-up win at York, and is by the top-class juvenile Coach House, from the family of Highclere’s Tiger Eyel.
Ascension is at $25 in the Royal Hunt Cup of 1 mile on Day 2 and will be ridden by David Egan for trainer Roger Varian, having been a last start winner of a Newbury 1m handicap by 2 lengths.
In winning twice at both 2,3 years, Highclere backed their own judgement as Ascension was a 135,000Gns purchase by John and Jake Warren was bred by Highclere Stud and Partners.
Sold at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he’s by the sprinting sire Dark Angel, whose son Harry Angel shuttles to Darley Kelvinside, from the stakes winning Dansili mare Making Eyes.
It’s the 3yo colt Title who has definitely taken the eye of Highclere Australia Racing Manager in Andrew Hawkins with view of a possible racing career in Australia.
“We have three winners this year in Parachute, Title and Hint of Stars, who I truly believe would be terrific additions to the Highclere Australia team,” Andrew Hawkins stated.
In all three viewing the Melbourne Cup, Andrew was excited with Hint of Stars’ Yarmouth win “as Harry and I chased him, now he’s won and quickened like he should perform well down under.”
The Ed Walker trained Parachute will be ridden Tom Marquard in the King George V Stakes, and is at $15 following a last start 1½m victory at Newmarket.
In also being a 1¼m juvenile winner, he’s by the highly successful Sea The Stars, the first foal of three time winner Fly, from the family of Derby winner Harzand, a son of Sea The Stars.
Highclere has won four editions of the King George V Handicap, first with Heritage in 1997, Beekeeper in 2001 before third in the Melbourne Cup for Godolphin, Admiral 2004 and Colony in 2008.
Previously as ANZ Bloodstock New editor Andrew Hawkins has ‘done his homework’ on Title to claim a ‘Ascot Derby’ victory in the King Edward VII Stakes of 1½m, possibly on good going.
At $12 for trainer Roger Varian and David Egan, he’s is coming off at 1m3½l victory on a good track at Yarmouth, having been a short-head second at Newbury over 1m3f, also on good.
As a son of Camelot, he’s the Camelot-Montjeu sire line that’s done so well in Australia and New Zealand, with Camelot now third as Leading Sire of 4YOs and 4th Crop Sire in Australian.
Young trainer George Boughey has the first-start 5½ length 6f Newmarket winner Cachet at $9 for the Albany Stakes of 6f for 2yo fillies on Day 4, and will be again ridden by Nicola Currie.
A 60,000Gns graduate of the Tattersalls Breeze Up, by first season sire Aclaim, but can she match 2010 winner Memory who later foaled Group winners Call Too Mind and Recorder for The Queen.
At $16 is the duel 2yo winning filly Operatic for Simon and Ed Grisford in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes, being by Showcasing, the family of Prix de l’Abbaye sprinter Wizz Kid.
In bypassing the Coronation Cup, Thunderous on Day 5 who is over the odds at $20 for the Hardwicke Stakes, in having been placed twice at 1½m, with Telescope in 2014 also a Hardwicke winner.
Unbeaten at two, and a four times winner for trainer Mark Johnston, he’s by successful 2000 Guineas winning sire Night of Thunder, from the stakes winning Dalakhani mare Souviens Toi.
The Pontefract winner Spycatcher starts in the Jersey Stakes of 7f as a $20 chance for Karl Burke, and being a Breeze Up Sale graduate he’s ‘a powerful colt with exceptional physique.’
Highclere is certainly welcome at Royal Ascot, no more so than in 2010 when Harbinger won the Hardwicke Stakes, and then the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 11 lengths.
Awarded a high 135 World Thoroughbred Ranking, Harbinger is a top-line sire in Japan, while Highclere’s 2005 Derby hero Motivator sired the duel Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve.