‘The Straight Six Will Be Right Up His Street’: Lazzat Ready For Jubilee Test

[Wandering Eyes]

It is strange that the one who dominates the market for Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes is not a hardened sprinter, but Lazzat (Territories) is all class and ready to fire in the final big one of Royal Ascot week. Campaigned mostly over seven furlongs last term, the Sumbe homebred who now sports Wathnan's silks had them all won before the closing stages before repeating the trick in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 110 yards less.

It was his stunning comeback effort in Chantilly's Listed Prix Servanne which convinced all that he is fast enough for this six and his extra stamina will be invaluable for this stiff test. “We were deeply impressed with what he did in France on his comeback run, the time was very good and I think the straight six furlongs at Ascot will be right up his street,” Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown said. “He's a great addition to the team and we're looking forward to seeing him in the Wathnan colours.”

Emphatic in last year's G1 Commonwealth Cup over the distance, Inisherin (Shamardal) was below that level in two starts but looked back in business when beating Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) in York's G2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes last month. He showed there that he has sharpened up considerably and is now a faster, slicker model. Drawn close to Lazzat, he will be able to use that long stride to put most under pressure from halfway.

“We made no secret of the fact he was only about 80 per-cent at York and we feel he's taken a big step forward in his training since,” trainer Kevin Ryan said. “The stiff six obviously suited him down to the ground last year, so you can't be anything but happy coming back here. It's going to be a top-class race, we're under no illusions, but I wouldn't swap him for anything.”

Like Lazzat, the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa) has produced the kind of effort on the clock that you would expect from one who can land a top prize in Japan. He will be reserved off any early speed duel, which could be the right tactic if Lazzat and co blaze from the gates.

Aidan O'Brien has only won this with Australian imports and that bodes well for Storm Boy (Justify), whose best performance in his native country was probably his win in the 5 1/2-furlong G3 San Domenico Stakes last year. It all went awry on his European debut in the G2 Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh last month, but his trainer seems convinced he has put matters right in the interim as he has on so many occasions in the past.

Whether Topgear (Wootton Bassett) has the speed to get involved here is open to debate, having found his niche over seven, but Hisaaki Saito's representative certainly belongs in this category based on recent evidence, which is also the case for Flora Of Bermuda. By a sire in Dark Angel whose progeny seem to excel at this meeting, she will be sharper for her York return and has course-and-distance form having been third in the G1 British Champions Sprint Stakes in October.

Romance Looms

Saturday's G2 Hardwicke Stakes seems there for the taking for Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Dubawi), whose effort when third in the King George over course and distance in July is the clear standard. Stretched over 14 furlongs on his return in the G2 Yorkshire Cup, the dual Breeders' Cup Turf hero will be more at home over this optimum trip which cannot be stated with a guarantee concerning Ghostwriter (Invincible Spirit).

“I keep telling people, if I need to explain what Rebel's Romance is all about, they are probably not racing fans,” Charlie Appleby said. “He comes here in great order and he's well renowned for what he can do. I think the trump card could be the drop back to a mile and a half and that is going to be more comfortable for him. It was his guts that got him over the line at York, he's an absolute star.”

Third in the Eclipse and Juddmonte International last term, Ghostwriter is worth a try at a mile and a half with the 10-furlong races so tough to win. Last year's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin winner Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) is the third big runner here and he looked ready to go back up to this trip last time when fourth in the G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp.

All Eyes On Treanmor

Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham Stakes almost seems the first port of call for seeking the following year's Guineas contenders of late and Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Treanmor (Frankel) is already at the head of the betting for the Newmarket Classic. His Newmarket debut win was as smooth as they come, but he will have to work here with Ballydoyle's well-regarded filly Moments Of Joy (Justify) and Wathnan's Newbury maiden winner Humidity (Ulysses) in attendance. The latter is a full-brother to Holloway Boy who took this on debut in 2022. In the G3 Jersey Stakes, there is a buzz about Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's dual Doncaster winner Remmooz (Blue Point), while the G3 Ballylinch Stud Stakes runner-up Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett) and G3 Greenham Stakes third Saracen (Siyouni) are the standard-setters from the yards of both O'Brien Jrs.

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