Royal Ascot 2023 opens with an intriguing clash of Group 1 winners in the Queen Anne Stakes with last year's Coronation Stakes heroine Inspiral facing not one but two Godolphin stars in two-time Breeders' Cup winner Modern Games and last year's Irish 2000 Guineas winner Native Trail.
The Queen Anne is one of three Group 1s to be run on a star-studded opening day of the Royal Meeting, and is the first of eight Group 1s next week which are part of the QIPCO British Champions Series. The Queen Anne also offers the winner an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile this fall at Santa Anita Park.
It also gives Frankie Dettori, who rides Inspiral, the chance to add a third Group 1 this month on fillies after his Epsom double of Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and Soul Sister in the Betfred Oaks. Dettori has ridden seven Queen Anne winners, including the first of his current 77 royal total on Markofdistinction in 1990.
Inspiral is again making a belated start to her campaign with her first appearance again coming in mid-June. It has proved no handicap as she won on her juvenile debut and made it five unbeaten on last year's return when trouncing her Coronation rivals, giving Dettori his only success at the meeting last year.
She lost her unbeaten record when beaten by Prosperous Voyage in the Falmouth Stakes but added her third Group 1 with the Jacques Le Marois at Deauville. The Cheveley Park Stud's home-bred daughter of Frankel prevents the traditional curtain raiser from being a near rerun of the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, won in authoritative style by Modern Games last month. She would also be the first female winner since American challenger Tepin in 2016.
Chris Richardson, managing director of the stud, said: “Inspiral had a long break back at the stud over the winter. She has thrived physically and mentally. She has strengthened and matured.
“We know she is a character and loves to know what is going on around her. Mrs (Patricia) Thompson (stud owner) was adamant not to rush her for the Lockinge.
“She appears to be in good heart and, to have won three Group 1s, she has the talent there. She won well at the Royal Meeting last year but it is a tough task against the Godolphin team.”
Godolphin are clearly keen to enhance an already enviable Queen Anne record, having won the mile race eight times but not since 2017. The Group 1 duo of Modern Games and Native Trail are in the hands of Charlie Appleby, who has yet to win the race with Saeed bin Suroor (seven) and most recently Richard Fahey, with Ribchester, the successful trainers.
William Buick has guided Modern Games to his eight career wins, including five at Group 1 level.
Buick said: “His record is very good and he won the Lockinge well last time so I'm looking forward to riding him again. It would be nearly a rerun of the Lockinge without Inspiral, who is a good filly. As any Queen Anne should be it will be tough to win.”
Native Trail pleased Appleby in a gallop on Newmarket's July Course last week after which he warned not to underestimate last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, who was a beaten odds-on favourite by the reopposing Mutasaabeq in the rearranged bet365 Mile at Newmarket.
Charlie Hills is hoping Mutasaabeq can uphold the form of that all the way win despite disappointing in the Lockinge last time.
The Lambourn trainer said: “He ran a bit flat at Newbury after running what I thought was his best race two weeks earlier. I'm really happy with him after a break and he has good form at the track.”
Richard Hannon, double handed with Chindit and Lusail, is seeking to match his father's two wins (Paco Boy and Canford Cliffs) in the race after Toronado gave him a dream start to his first royal meeting in 2014.
Chindit famously drew blood when biting Buick when finishing second in the Lockinge but Hannon defends his five-year-old, saying: “He is a gentleman and has never done anything like that before. He only did it because Buick was in close to him.
“I thought he would be shorter in the betting. He picked up better than Pat (Dobbs) thought he would and he is in the form of his life.
“We are going to ride Lusail a little handier as he seems to get flat-footed at a crucial part of the race.”
Berkshire Shadow, third in the Lockinge, and Light Infantry, who was seventh but subsequently only touched off in the Prix d'Ispahan, also reoppose in a field of 13.
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