Royal Scotsman is Goodwood-bound after Ascot

Richmond or Vintage Stakes options after Coventry third.

Royal Scotsman is to be primed for a return to Goodwood following his podium finish in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

It was on the Sussex Downs that the Paul and Oliver Cole-trained colt broke his duck with an impressive five-length success over six furlongs last month, before going down by just under two lengths behind Archie Watson’s Bradsell when third in the Group Two feature on the opening day of the Royal meeting.

The Fitri Hay-owned son of Gleneagles was posted on the wing in stall one for that Ascot contest and was travelling best of all when hitting the front just before the final third of the race.

While ultimately no match for the impressive winner in the closing stages, connections feel track position cost the youngster a silver medal.

“He probably had too much daylight and did a bit too much and we think he would have finished second with a bit of cover,” explained Oliver Cole.

“Of course it gives you hope (for the future), but I suppose you are looking for that extra edge the whole time and the way I see it, if we’d have had more cover we would have been second.”

Attentions now turn to the two-year-old races during July’s Qatar Glorious Goodwood Festival that the Cole family have tasted plenty of success in down the years.

“I think we’ll go back to Goodwood for either the Richmond Stakes or Vintage Stakes,” Cole continued.

“Our gut feeling is that he’s more of a back-end type that we would like to bring out in the bigger races at the latter end of the season. So, going to Goodwood just gives us a bit of time following Ascot to let him mature as he’s quite a big horse.”

“I would say he’s better on softer ground, his sectional times at Goodwood were unbelievable and I think to just slow the other two-year-olds down, I think he’s better on ground with a bit of give in it.”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest