Australian sprinters Coolangatta (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) and Cannonball (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}) took to the Ascot straight on Wednesday morning for a racecourse gallop ahead of next Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S.
The G1 Lightning S. winner Coolangatta is staying in Lambourn during her time in England and was overseen by her co-trainer Ciaron Maher, who arrived in the UK on Tuesday. Ridden by James McDonald, she worked over just less than five furlongs.
“The idea was to bring Coolangatta here and have a look at the whole surrounds,” Maher said. “We did a bit of paddock schooling and then had a nice look at the track. She stretched nicely to the line and James said she took quite a while to pull up. He was beaming about the work and it was everything I wanted to see. She has really thrived since being here.”
Explaining a recent disappointing effort when Coolangatta was third in a barrier trial, he added, “In the jump out at Flemington, she ran her second fastest half-mile that she has ever run. I still cannot get my head around it, but I guess that is why we have the trackers and stuff on them, because trials can be deceiving. The track was quite damp and, although she ran well as a two-year-old on a damp track, there were a lot of good horses in that trial – but James said it was the weirdest jump out that he has ever been in. Hopefully, it was just that, because she has thrived since then.
“I suppose winning the Lightning Stakes down the straight at Flemington gives you some confidence about handling the track here. Straight track racing can be quite different to some of the tighter tracks at home like Moonee Valley, where she has won before. We have come here thinking that the track would not be a problem.”
Maher was the initial trainer of Merchant Navy (Aus) (Frastnet Rock {Aus}), who won the 2018 G1 Diamond Jubilee S. on his second start for Aidan O'Brien, and he is understandably eager to get his own name on the Royal Ascot roll of honour.
“I was just as keen as anyone to get over here and have a crack at it,” he said. “There are not a lot of five-furlong races at this level, even at home. Coolangatta is good fresh and, even after her win in the Lightning Stakes, I still feel she is a filly that is developing. We think she is the right horse for Ascot and my training partner Dave Eustace knows his way around here.
“Winning here would be huge. We have had a very good season at home and this would be the icing on the top should it come to fruition. In terms of international racing, the world seems to be getting smaller and we would be keen to come again if we have a horse good enough. Whether it is here, Hong Kong or elsewhere, there are plenty of places that we would like to explore.”
New Zealand-born McDonald rode three winners at last year's royal meeting, including his first-day victory with Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) in the G1 King's Stand S.
He added, “Royal Ascot is one of the greatest weeks in racing. I definitely circle it every year and, if I am lucky enough to come here, then I am on the plane straightaway. With the racing and the whole atmosphere, it is one of the best carnivals in the world.
“Nature Strip was a champion racehorse but Coolangatta is getting there and I have no doubt she will run well on Tuesday. This morning has given me a lot of confidence.”
The Peter Snowden-trained Cannonball worked on his own over the same distance.
“He is quite a gross colt and he needed that,” said the trainer. “He arrived here on Friday and had a few easy days, which he had taken the benefit of. The gallop today will bring him back up to the mark somewhat. He will do a bit more on Saturday morning and then he will be ready to go.”
Winner of the G3 Maurice McCarten S. in March, Cannonball returned to Rosehill a week later to run third in the G1 Galaxy over 1,100m.
Snowden continued, “He is a fast horse, he is a tough horse, and he has handled this trip over here like it's nothing. This is his first time away from home, and the longest he has been on a truck before is two hours. He has just had 24 hours on a plane and it did not faze him one bit. That attitude will carry him a long way.
“The five furlongs of the King's Stand Stakes is all about speed and toughness, and he has both in abundance. I hope he is flying under the radar, because he should be on form, but I quite like the horse and think he is up to it.”
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