Down the track – five from Ascot to recoup losses

Nick Robson
June 21, 2020 12:15 pm

Quality quintet who can still realise potential.

Royal Ascot may be over for another year – but given the unusual circumstances in which it took place and that many horses were having their first runs of the season, there may be plenty worth following for the rest of the season.

Here, PA Racing picks out five of them:

Mohaather (Marcus Tregoning)

Mohaather (stripped cap) was all dressed up with nowhere to go — Mohaather (striped cap) was all dressed up with nowhere to go (Alan Crowhurst)

There are usually plenty of hard luck stories in the big handicaps at Royal Ascot, but you don’t tend to get many in the Group Ones. Marcus Tregoning will tell you otherwise. His lightly-raced four-year-old was all dressed up with nowhere to go in the Queen Anne, and his fate was soon sealed. That Mohaather ran through horses under no pressure to be seventh suggests he would have been in the first three at the very least. The Sussex Stakes is reportedly next, and it is to be hoped he does not suffer similar misfortune.

Maydanny (Mark Johnston)

Maydanny leads the near-side group home in the Silver Royal Hunt Cup (Edward Whittaker)

It is far too early to be giving up on Mark Johnston’s beaten favourite in the Silver Royal Hunt Cup. Bred to be a superstar, by Dubawi out of Attraction, he was having just his fourth race in such competitive conditions. Unfortunately for his connections his draw in stall five, at that stage of the week at least, did him no favours whatsoever. He managed to win his ‘race’, beating eight others who chose to stay on the far side, suggesting he could still be a very well handicapped horse wherever he turns up next. It will be harsh if the handicapper decides to put him up, having been beaten five lengths.

Lord Tennyson (John Gosden)

John Gosden and Frankie Dettori were out of luck with Lord Tennyson in the Hunt Cup (George Selwyn)

Not much went wrong for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori during the meeting, as they left with the gongs for top trainer and jockey, but they may be left feeling this was one that got away in the Royal Hunt Cup. Another very lightly-raced favourite, he was even less experienced than Maydanny – having just his third run. From halfway Dettori probably knew his fate, though, because he was locked up with nowhere to go. The Italian let his mount coast home when all chance had gone, and he was beaten 10 lengths in 11th. It will be a surprise if he has not gained compensation before the season is out.

Le Don De Vie (Hughie Morrison)

Le Don De Vie (blue and yellow) ran with promise in the Duke of Edinburgh (Julian Finney)

Not much has gone right for Le Don Die Vie since he was bought out of Andrew Balding’s yard by Australian owners, with the Melbourne Cup as his main aim. His fourth-place finish in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes on his first outing since the Cambridgeshire suggests there is still untapped potential. He was slowly away and was then rushed up to get a position, which led to him racing keenly early on. Having then moved into a position to strike for home, his early exertions and/or lack of a run took their toll – and his run flattened out. There is a nice prize in him before he heads Down Under.

Mamba Wamba (Adrian Nicholls)

Mamba Wamba (purple) turned the form around with her Newmarket conqueror Pelekai (Tony Knapton)

Adrian Nicholls must be counting down the days until he can run Mamba Wamba over six furlongs. The Mehmas filly rattled home on her debut at Newcastle to be beaten just half a length by Pelakai, and she turned that form around in no uncertain terms in the Queen Mary. She may have finished only eighth, but no filly was staying on to greater effect. Nicholls will probably look for an easy opportunity to get a win under her belt first, before stepping back up in class, but it looks like the son of ‘Sprint King’ Dandy Nicholls has come across an above average recruit very early in his career.