Royal Ascot Aim For Beckford

[Wandering Eyes]

Newtown Anner Stud’s Beckford (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) may have stayed in the U.S. last year after his respectable fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, but connections of the 3-year-old still have international ambitions, and he could be set for a trip to Royal Ascot for the G1 Commonwealth Cup on June 22.

Beckford makes his 3-year-old debut-and his first start since finishing 2 1/4 lengths adrift of GI Kentucky Derby entrant Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) at the Breeders’ Cup-on Saturday in the opening night feature at Churchill Downs, the $100,000 William Walker S. over five furlongs on the turf, for which he is a morning line 3-1. Beckford also makes his first appearance for Irish-born trainer Brendan Walsh, who is enjoying a growing profile in the U.S.

Walsh is taking the colt’s preparation one step at a time, however, and said he wants to get past Saturday’s test before making any further commitments.

“We’ll take it one step at a time, but we’ve nominated him for Royal Ascot to have that option there,” Walsh said. “If things were to go really well it would be a consideration for sure, but we’ll see how tomorrow goes first and go from there.”

Beckford, who was purchased privately by Newtown Anner Stud from Nick Bradley Racing after winning on debut at The Curragh last May, was previously trained in Ireland and through the Breeders’ Cup by Gordon Elliott. Beckford built on that first-out promise to win the G2 Railway S. at The Curragh and then had a busy and productive six weeks, finishing second in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. and the G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. and fifth behind U S Navy Flag in the G1 Middle Park S. He sat last early in the Breeders’ Cup before coming up the rail to be narrowly beaten by Mendelssohn (video).

Walsh said Beckford has wintered well and taken the transatlantic adjustment in stride.

“He’s a grand horse,” the trainer said. “He’s very straightforward, just a nice horse to be around. He seems like he’s taken to everything here like a duck to water. He’s done well so we’re hoping for a good run tomorrow night.”

The William Walker will be Beckford’s first try over five furlongs, both wins last year having come over six. The Commonwealth Cup is over six furlongs.

“He’d run three-quarters in Ireland last year but it’s his first time going five eighths, so I think we’ll see what happens tomorrow then look at Ascot and the timing between everything and adjust from there if we need to make adjustments,” Walsh said. “Everything is hanging on tomorrow night so we’ll see how that goes first.”

Having worked for Godolphin for five years prior to taking out his license, Walsh is no stranger to traveling horses, but a trip to Royal Ascot with Beckford would be a first international journey under his own name.

“If this materialized it would be lovely to bring a horse back there, having spent a lot of time in England working and of course Ascot is great, so it would be great to have one suitable to bring there,” Walsh said.

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