It has been another beautiful day here in Headquarters but the forecast is looking mixed looking ahead to Royal Ascot. We worked some horses during first and second lot on the Limekilns, it was beautiful ground and I was happy with how all of the horses went.
Rain stopped play at Lingfield and this was the third time it has happened on the turf in recent weeks after only the first was run this evening, they are still running the later races on the all-weather. We have managed to have non- runners on every occasion frustratingly as we were at Windsor and Leicester when they were both abandoned too. Warrior Prince was due to run in the seven furlong maiden and we will have to look for more options for him.
Royal Ascot is looking like having a very strong international challenge once more and it is good for the meeting that there is a horse from the Far East running on Wednesday with a decent chance. The Japanese horse A Shin Hikari was seriously impressive in the Prix D’Ispahan and the forecast rain will not inconvenience him in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. There are some very good horses opposing him but on the evidence of his French win he will be hard to beat.
We have the Euros starting on Saturday and the England vs Wales game is very inconveniently kicking off at 2pm on Thursday. The Three Lions have a good team with a blend of old and new who seemingly know how to win but as we know, it is not good to have high expectations where the England football team is involved.