HENRY CECIL will bite the hand that feeds if Ali Royal continues his skyward curve by landing the opening Group Three Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot today.
The Royal Academy colt's chief rival, Irish 1000 Guineas third My Branch, is owned by Wafic Said, one of Cecil's principal patrons. However, the Syrian owner can hardly complain - the Warren Place trainer has bagged him his first two English classics, this year's Pertemps 1000 Guineas and Vodafone Oaks, with the unbeaten fillies Bosra Sham and Lady Carla.
Now he may have to make do with place money as Ali Royal takes his first step into Pattern company. The winner of a Warwick maiden last October, AliRoyal was sent off at odds on for the optimistically titled Thirsk Classic Trial Stakes in April, but finished a disappointing third to Ben Hanbury's Ramooz.
However, when he reappeared at Newmarket last time, he looked a different proposition altogether. Contesting the Listed King Charles II Stakes, he was restrained early on by Willie Ryan, made good headway to lead approaching the final quarter mile and the race was quickly over.
Storming out of the Dip, AliRoyal had opened up an eight length gap between himself and his closest pursuer at the line, a distance that could have been extended had Ryan asked more of his mount.
He'll be more effective when stepped up to a mile and beyond in the future, but Ascot's stiff seven will suit Ali Royal for the time being, and he can confirm the promise of his Newmarket effort.
My Branch, fourth to Bosra Sham before finishing third to Matiya at the Curragh, is stepping down in class rather than up and has to be respected. A reproduction of her latest effort, when beaten by three and a half lengths, will see her take the silver.
It seems that when John Dunlop read his son Ed bedtime stories, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger had to give way to the training manual. Since taking over the Gainsborough Stables from the late Alex Scott, Dunlop has shown himself a most capable trainer and notched his first classic success when Ta Rib took the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp last month.
The emphatic winner of a Newmarket maiden on her previous start, the Mr Prospector chestnut held a prominent pitch throughout under Willie Carson, was sent to the front approaching the final furlong and battled on to beat odds on favourite Shake The Yoke by three quarters of a length.
Backers of the runner up might claim that their filly, who found trouble two from home and had to be switched, was unlucky. But it is highly debatable whether she would have got to the front granted a clear run.
Ta Rib, who has had just four outings to date, is entitled to continue improving and is taken to reaffirm her superiority in the Group One Coronation Stakes.
With 32 declared runners, the Royal Hunt Cup must have book makers rubbing their hands in anticipation. It is notoriously difficult to find the winner, but that does not stop punters diving in like lemmings, dreaming of rich rewards if they do. For those seeking an involvement, Tertium fits the bill.
