Royal Ascot Planning For 4,000 Spectators a Day

Under the current spectator cap put in place by the UK Government for its Roadmap out of lockdown, the five-day Royal Ascot meeting will be held with just 4,000 spectators each day. Ascot Racecourse is planning for that eventuality, but there is a slim chance that the meeting could be used as a pilot event that would allow up to 10,000 daily spectators at the venue. Step 3 of the Government Roadmap out of coronavirus restrictions is in place until at least June 21. There will be no general admission.

“In accordance with Step 3 of the Government's Roadmap, the total max capacity for racegoers on all racecourses is 4,000 per day,” Ascot Racecourse tweeted. “We remain in dialogue with Government on the possibility of a larger crowd, but will begin the process to allocate to our current permitted capacity.”

In 2020, Royal Ascot was held without spectators due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

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Breeders’ Cup Champs Next Starts Announced

Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead), the winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland last November, will head straight to Royal Ascot for her 2021 debut, the G2 Temple S. at Haydock having been ruled out. Both the G1 King's Stand S. and the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. are options for the 2020 G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. heroine.

“We're skipping the Temple S.,” trainer Kevin Ryan said. “We'll go straight to Ascot, or at least that's the plan. She's in both races and we'll decide a bit closer to the time which to go for.”

“We'll worry about that [the Breeders' Cup] when we get to the end of the year,” he added. “We'll think about her targets in Europe first, but she's in great nick at home.”

Another 2020 Breeders' Cup victress who will return to action even sooner than Glass Slippers is GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). The bay also saluted in the G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet last August for trainer James Fanshawe, who revealed that the G2 Prix Corrida  on May 26th was the likely next start for the 5-year-old.

Fanshawe said, “She's in good form and I'm hoping to start her off next week, she's got a couple of options. She's in the Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud and she has a couple of other entries as well.”

Later in the season, the mare is also entered in Royal Ascot's G1 Prince of Wales's S. and the G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh and the G1 Coral-Eclipse with the Breeders' Cup on the horizon, too.

He added, “The race next week is for fillies and mares only and the conditions are good. There are good races across the country, but we'll get this one out of the way first.

“She's won two Group 1 races against her own sex. So we'll see how we get on and see whether we can take on the colts at some stage.”

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Laws Of Indices Possible For Sandy Lane

Group 2 winner Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), fourth in the G3 Goffs Lacken S. at Naas on May 16, will likely make a quick return in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock on May 22. Successful in the G2 Railway S. as a juvenile and third in the 2020 G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in October, the Ken Condon trainee was fifth in the Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown in the wake of subsequent G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas victor Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) prior to his close fourth in the Lacken.

“He's got an entry for the Sandy Lane on Saturday, we're taking a look at that,” said Condon. “The ground is soft and the weather is probably going to be something similar to what we're wanting, he will have an entry there but I won't know until later in the week when I've discussed it with everybody.

“I think if he does go there it will be the [G1] Commonwealth Cup next [at Royal Ascot in June]…and he'll have an entry in the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest, maybe even the [G1] Prix Jean Prat.

“He'll be campaigned ambitiously, but he's a horse that's very solid and looks to be improving. He turns up, and when they always turn up you always have a chance.

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Battaash in Good Form For King’s Stand Defense

Shadwell's Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is aiming to defend his G1 King's Stand S. title at Royal Ascot and is training well trainer Charlie Hills reports. The 7-year-old gelding is thriving at Hills's yard in Lamborne after recovering from a small fracture sustained in the off season. The bay was undefeated in three starts last term, beginning in with the King's Stand in June, followed by the July 31 G2 King George Qatar S. and the Aug. 21 G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S.

“Battaash has been back with us a few weeks now,” said Hills. “He's been in training and did a nice swinging canter last week. We're very happy with him. He should get to Ascot. I can't see any reason why he wouldn't.

“Dane O'Neill is coming to sit on him tomorrow morning. He knows him very well so it will be interesting to see what he says.”

Battaash's stablemate Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who won a novice in October and doubled up at Newmarket in April, has emerged from his seventh-place finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in good order. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off the back of his April effort, the colt will point to the G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot.

“He's absolutely fine. He came out of the race in good form. He's looking well and training nicely,” said Hills. “I'll speak to [racing managers] Angus [Gold] and Richard [Hills] to draw up a plan, but I'd say the Jersey looks favourite.”

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