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Sir Michael Stoute Supplements Solid Stone For Hardwicke Stakes

No trainer has a better record in the G2 Hardwicke S. than Sir Michael Stoue, who will be bidding to win the race for a 12th time at Royal Ascot on Saturday after supplementing Solid Stone (Ire) (Shamardal), who will be sporting the Derby-winning colours of Saeed Suhail.

Stoute won his sixth Derby when Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) powered home at Epsom just over a week ago for Suhail, who was also successful in 2003 with Kris Kin (Kris S), and the in-form trainer-owner combination will be bidding to maintain their good run of form at the royal meeting.

Solid Stone was last seen winning the G2 Huxley S. at Chester and will bid to emulate previous Stoute-trained winners of the Hardwicke like Harbinger (GB), Sea Moon (GB), Telescope (Ire) and more recently Crystal Ocean (GB).

All bar one of the past 14 winners were 4-year-olds and the Charlie Appleby-trained Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the Irish Derby last season, will be bidding to strengthen that record.

Not seen since finishing third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Hurricane Lane is likely to give the 6-year-old Solid Stone most to think about, and Appleby provided an upbeat bulletin on the colt's wellbeing.

He said, “I'm delighted with the way he has physically done from three to four and this has very much been our target, we're very much working back from the Arc.

“Compared to some of the older horses he had an extended break as we knew we weren't going to do anything early in the season with him.”

Appleby added, “He took in a racecourse gallop at Newmarket the other day, William (Buick) sat on him and he was very pleased. He needed it in the sense that everything is very relaxed at Moulton Paddocks and he was in a relaxed mode, so William just had to give him the signal to remind him to switch on his racing brain and you could see the penny dropped at the right time.”

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Gosden Keeps Royal Ascot Option Open for Emily Upjohn

Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was narrowly out of luck in the G1 Cazoo Oaks, could bid for G2 Ribblesdale S. glory at Royal Ascot next week, according to her joint-trainer John Gosden.

A clear-cut winner of the G3 Musidora S. in her Epsom prep, John and Thady Gosden's 'TDN Rising Star' endured a luckless Classic run, losing a handful of lengths at the start when stumbling coming out of the stalls before being beaten just a short head by Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at the line.

That was Emily Upjohn's third start of the campaign, having also cantered home by 9 1/2 lengths at Sandown on her return in April, and John Gosden has not completely ruled out a swift return at Group 2 level next Thursday.

He said, “The Ribblesdale is a very important race, she's never won a Group 2. You wait until the end of July and you're looking at two possible races, then the [G1] Yorkshire Oaks.

“If she's in good form, it's something that needs to be considered and thoroughly looked at, you don't just say 'oh we'll wait seven weeks or two months'.

“In her life she's had four races, which isn't an awful lot. We'll see, she's fine, she's been eating well and looking well. She's cantered and seems happy, so we'll keep the options open.”

Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the winter favourite for the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas who has yet to grace the track this season, is on track to return in the G1 Coronation S.

Gosden said, “It can happen to some fillies in the spring, she's taken a long time to come right and you don't want to rush them. She's pleasing me now and going the right way. She's goes for the Coronation.

“She's coming to herself and I think we're beginning to see the filly of last year, so we'll hope for a big performance. I think she's getting close to being exactly where we want her and as long as the next few days go all right, she can put up a bold show.

“We have been [keen to run], but sometimes in this game you just have to be patient.”

Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was another Gosden Classic hope over the winter, with many hoping the colt could give his owner The Queen a G1 Cazoo Derby win in her Platinum Jubilee year.

However, after suffering a setback at the end of last term, Reach For The Moon was ruled out of Epsom some weeks before the Classic, instead making his reappearance in the Listed Heron S. at Sandown last month.

Second to My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) over a mile there, Reach For The Moon is now likely to edge up to 10 furlongs in the G3 Hampton Court S. rather than be pitched in over a mile and a half in the G2 King Edward VI S.

Gosden said, “We're thinking Hampton Court for Reach For The Moon, over a mile and a quarter. He's pleased us in his work and we're very happy with him.

“I think when you've sustained an injury like that, you have to go very gently and it just wasn't going to happen in time.

“Obviously the owner-breeder was very keen to do everything right by the horse, so that made it simple for me in a sense. Just get a run in at Sandown and go to Royal Ascot.

“He's a character, he likes to play and shout. He enjoys the prelims–you'll hear him, he's a character that boy.”

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Gordon Elliott’s Royal Ascot Raiding Party Headed by Pied Piper

Gordon Elliott is readying a three-pronged attack on Royal Ascot, headed by Triumph Hurdle third Pied Piper (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who has the option of running in the Ascot S. or the Copper Horse S.

He may be best known for sending out big-race winners over obstacles, but Elliott has a terrific record at the royal meeting and has won the Queen Alexandra Stakes with Commissioned (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) (2016) and Pallasator (GB) (Motivator {GB}) (2018).

What's more impressive is that Elliott has only ever run seven horses at the royal meeting and the Cullentra House-based handler will be hoping to bolster his Ascot record with Platinumcard (Ire) (Golden Lariat) and Amir Kabir (GB) (Mukhadram {GB}) joining Pied Piper in transit.

Elliott told TDN Europe, “We're looking forward to running Pied Piper at Royal Ascot. The plan is to run Amir Kabir and Platinumcard as well.

“Pied Piper is a very classy hurdler and we think there could be a lot of fun to be had with him back on the Flat as well. Platinumcard has done well for us already and has some good form on the Flat as does Amir Kabir. Hopefully we'll have a bit of luck.”

Elliott added, “We'll split them up between the Ascot Stakes and the new one-mile-and-six-furlong handicap [The Copper Horse Stakes]. Obviously there are no entries out yet so we'll decide who runs where closer to the time but they are nice horses to be bringing over. It's a place we've had plenty of luck at and is always a nice day out so fingers crossed.”

The Irish Cesarewitch will be one of the richest races run in Ireland this year after it had its prize-money boosted to €600,000 and Elliott revealed that his Ascot team would also receive entries to the Curragh contest.

He said, “There's a good programme for these dual-purpose horses and Pied Piper, Platinumcard and Amir Kabir will be put into the Irish Cesarewitch as well.”

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Steve Cauthen: ‘I Was Always in Awe of Lester’s Talent’

Steve Cauthen, the American jockey who enjoyed huge success when riding in the UK-including Derby victories aboard Slip Anchor and Reference Point–remembered the greatest of them all, Lester Piggott, who died on Sunday, aged 86.

Recalling what started out as a frosty relationship between the pair, Cauthen, who will form part of ITV Racing's presentation team at this year's Derby meeting, paid a glowing tribute to his great friend and rival.

Cauthen said, “As time went on, obviously we became competitors, as I started to get chances on better horses and got to compete in the big races at Ascot or wherever. At first we learned to respect each other and then we became friends.

“I think he appreciated me and I appreciated him. I was always in awe of his talent. As many people have said, you never would tell anyone to try to copy him, because his style was just so unique – nobody could do it the way he could do it.”

He added, “At the same time, the way he did it was brilliant in his own way. He was a great judge of horses. You talk about balance and he really did have it.”

Between 1955 and 1984, Piggott rode more than 100 winners a season in Britain on 25 occasions. He won his ninth and final Derby on Teenoso in 1983, yet Cauthen was struck by the way he routinely connived to get aboard the right horse, no matter who he upset.

“More than any of it, he had that determination and desire to win,” said Cauthen. “He loved to win. He figured a way to get on the right horses and once he did, it was easy for him.

“I've heard of the many times that he got on rides at other jockeys' expense, but I was fortunate that it didn't happen to me. On that side, Lester was ruthless. On the other side, I've heard a lot about how he did a lot of things for people. He was very kind to people and did a lot of compassionate things that he didn't want anyone to know about.”

Piggott was tall for a jockey at 5ft 8ins and struggled with his weight, surviving on cigars, coffee and the occasional piece of chocolate. Cauthen, who was signed by Henry Cecil to take over from Piggott, also battled the scales towards the latter part of his career.

After more than a decade in England, he retired from race-riding at the age of 32, having amassed 10 British Classics and three jockeys' championships.

Both men were stylists who could get every ounce of talent from their charges. Yet only Piggott would go to any length in a bid to snaffle the next winner.

“He was just a great competitor and he wanted to get on every horse to win every race he rode in,” Cauthen said.

“Lester was so unique. Everyone wanted to be like him, but nobody could do it. I can't imagine even trying to ride as short as he did, especially being as tall as he was. We were both unique in our own way and hopefully it made British racing better in some form.”

Despite the sombre start to the week, Cauthen is looking forward to arriving back in Britain, having been invited to be part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

“It will be great to come over for the Oaks and Derby,” he said. “I am also an advisor or racing manager for a couple of farms over here-Three Chimneys and Dixiana. I enjoy being involved.”

Cauthen added, “For a while there I wasn't doing much and while I was doing my own thing, it is fun talking to the others guys about all that is going on and making plans for horses. I was kind of missing that part. I'm looking forward to coming over for the Queen with her Jubilee. I'm basing my trip around that and obviously I'd love to stay for Royal Ascot.”

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