Royal Ascot: Just half a dozen Irish-trained horses will line up at Royal Ascot today, four of them in the concluding Sandringham Handicap, but David Junior will still provide plenty of interest in the featured Group One Prince Of Wales Stakes.
Last year's Champion Stakes winner is one of just a seven-strong field that nevertheless presents an intriguing clash with Godolphin's Dubai World Cup winner Electrocutionist while Aidan O'Brien's consistent performer Ace is in there too to keep them all honest.
Good as he is, however, it's hard to see Ace pull off a maiden Group One success this afternoon and no one will be more surprised if he does than the Co Limerick-born trainer Brian Meehan who sent his stable star to Dubai during the spring to pick up the second top-level success of his career.
There was enough in that for Meehan to seriously contemplate taking on Hurricane Run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup last month but soft ground eventually ruled it out. The benefits of that call can become apparent now.
Electrocutionist had top-flight turf victories to his name in Italy, and also in the Juddmonte International, before landing that memorable win on dirt in March but the balance of his from still looks to leave him with something to do.
In contrast David Junior appears to be a horse rapidly on the up and he can highlight a memorable Royal Ascot day for the Tipperary-born champion jockey Jamie Spencer.
Soviet Song will be Spencer's other big chance in the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes and at her best this top-class mare would have little more than a routine gallop to beat this kind of opposition. A season kick-off in the Lockinge suggests Soviet Song hasn't worsened significantly from the days she was winning the Sussex Stakes and she is hard to oppose.
The Irish hope in the race is David Wachman's Luas Line who won a Grade One in America last year and didn't run too badly behind Mustameet at Leopardstown on her only start of 2006. However, the fact she has to give 5lb to Soviet Song looks to say it all about her chance of winning today.
Beautyandthebeast landed the Sandringham Handicap for John Oxx last year and Irish interest in the three-year-old fillies contest is significant again with Polished Gem suggested as the best hope.
Dermot Weld's hope had a length to spare over Sharapova when breaking her maiden last October and being a full sister to Dress To Thrill she should relish the chance to race on a quick surface. Sharapova reopposes again and does so on the back of her maiden win at the Curragh earlier this season. However, she is hardly weighted to reverse placings with Polished Gem and has to race from a couple of pounds out of the handicap proper.
