Coolangatta and Cannonball fly the flag on the opening day of Royal Ascot
First it was the maverick Choisir (Danehill Dancer), who doubled up 20 years ago, then came the ‘rags-to-riches’ tale of Takeover Target (Celtic Swing) in 2006, before Miss Andretti (Ihtiram) a year later blitzed the track record over the Ascot five furlongs – an accolade which still stands today. The great Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) was all class, while none were more domineering than the explosive Nature Strip (Nicconi) last year.
Royal Ascot has proven to be fertile ground for Australian challengers to showcase themselves on the global stage.
At the onset of another five-day extravaganza of the world’s best equine racing talent, the baton passes to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s speedy filly Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) and potential ‘dark horse’ Cannonball (Capitalist) in the James Harron silks for today’s King’s Stand Stakes (Gr 1, 5f), while Artorius (Flying Artie), a fast-finishing third at Royal Ascot last year, will again take on the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on Saturday, along with The Astrologist (Zoustar), as Australian sprinters seek to assert the dominance of their breed once more.
Three-year-old filly Coolangatta, who impressed when striding clear of her work partner in an Ascot gallop last Wednesday after travelling from her Lambourn base at Charlie Hills’s, leads the Australian charge.
The dual Group 1-winning daughter of Written Tycoon (Iglesia) was created by royalty, with her British-based breeders Highclere Stud run by John Warren, who was the long-time racing manager to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Maher and expat Brit Eustace will taste their first experience of Royal Ascot with the filly, with the former believing her to be firing on all cylinders heading into the Group 1 sprint.
“I’m very happy with her. We had a look at the track this morning and there’s a fair bit of give in it. I think she’s better on top of the ground, but it looks in good order,” Maher told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“The horse is in good order too, she hasn’t missed a beat since arriving, and I’m very happy with her.
“Everything has been very straightforward since arriving here and she looks fantastic and is ready to run a big race.”
Coolangatta and her regular rider James McDonald will jump from barrier two for the King’s Stand, the opposite side of the track to her Australian counterpart Cannonball in barrier 15.
Just two horses have won the King’s Stand from a barrier lower than eight in the last ten years, however Maher believes Coolangatta will be nicely positioned, having drawn next to the Wesley Ward-trained speedster Twilight Gleaming (National Defense), who is likely to take up the running when the gates crash back.
Coolangatta was a drifting 9-2 chance in UK betting markets yesterday, behind 5-2 favourite Highland Princess (Night Of Thunder), who finished sixth in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at last year’s royal meeting, before winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr 1, 1300m) at Deauville, defeating the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Artorius, who finished sixth.
“The American horse [Twilight Gleaming] is drawn near us, and she’ll have a lot of speed, so that’s not too bad. James knows her well, which is a big plus also. She normally races pretty forward, and we’ll look to do that again,” Maher said.
“The favourite is a good horse. It’s hard to line up form from two sides of the globe, but our filly is an improving horse, she’s still developing. But there’s a couple of them in there who could provide the biggest danger.
“I don’t feel any pressure. There’s been some very good horses come over here [from Australia] and she’s on that trajectory, so hopefully she can deliver.
“It’s been a fantastic experience. Everyone at Ascot has been very helpful and it’s been a very pleasurable time so far. Hopefully we can get a positive result and make it even more so.”
Six-year-old mare Highland Princess, who claimed two Group 1 sprints over five furlongs last year, returned with a runner-up finish in a Group 2 contest at York in May, a race in which The Astrologist was soundly beaten to finish seventh.
Her trainer John Quinn believes Highland Princess has improved from her first-up run of the season.
“We’ve been happy with her since York and she’ll strip fitter tomorrow,” Quinn said.
“We’re happy the way she’s trained. It’s wonderful and you hope that, when you get a good one, another Group 1 can come along.
“Let’s hope she’ll run well, I’m sure she will. There are 19 sprinters from all over the world and it’s a great race and some very good, improving young horses there. It’s going to be tough but we’re looking forward to it.”
Cannonball may not be carrying formlines as strong as Coolangatta into today’s race, but a win down the famous straight would not be to the surprise of Harron, who said the three-year-old colt is going ‘under the radar’ for the contest.
Cannonball, who won two of his eight starts for Anthony and Sam Freedman prior to a switch to the Peter and Paul Snowden stable earlier this year, showed his progression when winning the Maurice McCarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) in impressive fashion and quick time (1:03.50) on March 23, backing up a week later to place third in elite-level company in The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m), beaten a length and a half by Mariamia (Toronado).
The son of Capitalist (Written Tycoon) also galloped on the track last week, working solo towards the nearside after Coolangatta had completed her hit-out moments before.
It was a piece of work that brought on the relaxed, gross colt ‘leaps and bounds’ ahead of what is undoubtedly the biggest test of his short career.
Brett Prebble will fly in for the mount on Cannonball, who he has ridden three times for two wins, including in the scorching all-the-way Maurice McCarten Stakes win at Rosehill on March 11, and Harron expects the colt to be ridden forward today.
“Peter’s been really happy with him and he’s tightened up nicely from the gallop [last Wednesday],” Harron said. “He needed the gallop. It was a good pipe-opener which just topped him off nicely.
“All the key things we look for have been positive, and he’s in really good nick. His coat’s excellent and he seems in a really good frame of mind.
“We’re putting our faith in that he’s really progressive and we’re banking on that for him to be competitive at this level. I think the horse has definitely come on in every way. When you see how he presents, how he’s developed, mentally – I feel like we don’t know where the limit is yet and that keeps us very excited.
“He’s an on-speed horse. He has a really high cruising speed and can muster quickly, so I’d imagine he’ll be right there.
“It wasn’t the plan for him to be back as far as he was in The Galaxy, and that probably cost him the race.”
Cannonball, a $975,000 purchase from the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, will be Northern Irishman Harron’s first runner as an owner at the royal meeting, sporting the same green and gold silks that launched the career of Cannonball’s Golden Slipper-winning sire Capitalist in 2016.
“It’s huge, it’s something you dream about and the excitement’s been building for some time. I’ve attended Royal Ascot plenty of times, but there’s nothing like being involved and having a runner. I can’t wait to take all the Australian connections out there and experience Royal Ascot.
“From a professional aspect, we’re very much here to give this horse the opportunity to get a big one on the CV, and this is a really good opportunity. Second to that comes the experience, and the fun factor.
“To win here would be right up there. It’s the world stage. People want to breed their mares to fast stallions and the fastest horse will most likely win this race.”
Darley’s Exceed And Excel (Danehill) is represented by 5-1 chance Mannacan, who will be the mount of Frankie Dettori on what will be his final Royal Ascot before retiring at the end of the year.
Twilight Gleaming, who finished second in the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr 2, 5f) as a juvenile two years ago, is a 20-1 shot, while the Karl Burke-trained Dramatised (Showcasing), a smart winner on her return at Haydock last month, makes up the horses priced at single figures at 7-1.
Shuttle sire Harry Angel (Dark Angel) will have the Group 3 winner Marshman in the race, while Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) has 50-1 shot Vadream, who is trained by Charlie Fellowes.