Royal Ascot / Paul Smith / 14 June 2010 / Leave a Comment

This week sees one of the highlights of the Flat season in the shape of Royal Ascot and we caught up with the stables of Michael Jarvis and Richard Fahey to discuss their runners at the meeting.

Michael Jarvis

Elzaam 2yo bay colt
Timeform Rating 104P
Formfigures 1

I have been very happy with him since his York debut and he must go there (Coventry Stakes, Royal Ascot 16.25 Tuesday) with a good chance. He has trained very nicely since York and is good order. The trip and ground should be ideal for him and his win has worked out well enough, if not brilliantly. This will give us a better idea of how good he really is but I would be hopeful he would go very well.

Business As Usual 3yo bay colt
Timeform Rating 106p
Formfigures 12-41

Business As Usual will run in the Britannia Stakes (Royal Ascot, 16.25 Thursday) and goes there on the back of a comfortable win. The handicapper has put him up 7lb for that success and this is a notoriously difficult race to win, but he is going the right way and he should appreciate a strong pace. He has already proven himself on a straight track over 1m so conditions should be perfect for him.

Alrasm 3yo bay gelding
Timeform Rating 113
Formfigures 902-214

He is likely to run in the Hampton Court Stakes (Royal Ascot, 17.00 Thursday) unless the ground is very fast - we will have a look on Thursday morning and decide. The straight track at Newmarket just didn't suit him at all last time - he bounced out and raced too freely and had nothing left. Hopefully the return to a turning track will get him to relax a bit more.

Rainbow Peak 4yo bay gelding
Timeform Rating 117p
Formfigures 111-2

Rainbow Peak goes for the Wolferton Handicap on Friday (Royal Ascot 16.25) and he has been in very good order since his York second. This return to 1m2f will be more to his liking than the 1m at York, he has won here in the past and he has been aimed at this race for a while. It looks a very competitive race at this stage but he must go there with an excellent chance.

Alainmaar 4yo bay gelding
Timeform Rating 118p
Formfigures 211-11

I had a few entered in the Hardwicke Stakes [Royal Ascot 15.05 Saturday] but Alainmaar will be the selected one. Obviously this is a big step up in class for him, as well as a step up in trip, but he is bred to stay and he races as though he will get it. This looks a good race though and the likes of Harbinger have already proven themselves in Group races.

Clarke Lane 2yo bay colt
Timeform Rating 85p
Formfigures 12

I will run Clarke Lane in the Chesham Stakes on Saturday (Royal Ascot 14.30 Saturday) and he must have a chance. He will get the 7f really well and likes fast ground - he is a good, honest worker and although we will have to see what sort of race it is, there is more to come from him over the longer trip.


Richard Fahey

Chiswick Bey 2yo bay colt
Timeform Rating 90p
Formfigures 12

He runs in the Coventry Stakes (Royal Ascot 16.25 Tuesday) and he will really appreciate the step up to 6f. He won the Brocklesby in good style on his debut and then was just found out by the trip at Beverley last time. We hoped he might get away with 5f at a stiff track but he needs this extra furlong now. This looks a very warm race though.

Marine Commando 2yo bay colt
Timeform Rating 95p
Formfigures 1

He won well at Carlisle on his debut and must go there [Windsor Castle Stakes, 17.35 Royal Ascot Tuesday] with a decent chance. We thought he would win at Carlisle and he got the job done and he has worked well since then. The trip and ground should be ideal for him and he will have learned plenty at Carlisle.

Honeymead 2yo bay filly
Timeform Rating 80p
Formfigures 1

She won her only start so far, doing well to get up close home at Carlisle. She has always worked well and we like her a lot. This 6f (Albany Stakes, Royal Ascot 14.30 Friday) will be right up her street - she found 5f on the sharp side, even at a stiff track like Carlisle - and although this is a much stronger race, she should go very well.

Albaqaa 5yo chestnut gelding
Timeform Rating 107
Formfigures 3-37183

He goes for the Wolferton Handicap [Royal Ascot, 16.25 Friday] and he should run another mighty race. The handicapper has him to a tee at the moment though - he is a victim of his own consistency - and although he won't mind conditions and will run well, this does look a hot race.

Castles In The Air 5yo bay gelding
Timeform Rating 112
Formfigures 8228-10

He was very impressive when he won at Pontefract on his reappearance and it was disappointing he didn't do a bit better in the Victoria Cup last time. He has had a month off since then and has been freshened up, so he would have a chance in the Buckingham Palace Handicap (Royal Ascot, 17.35 Friday). It is one of those races that if you run it half a dozen times, you could have six different winners though.

Johannes 7yo bay gelding
Timeform Rating 109
Formfigures 0003-10

We have a few in the Wokingham (Royal Ascot 16.25, Saturday) and much will depend on the ground come the weekend. Johannes improved all last season and he did well to win over 5f on his reappearance - it isn't his trip and it was probably just a case that he was so fit and well he got away with it. He will appreciate the return to 6f and he has run well in these big-field races in the past.

Timeform View

Although the Wolferton Handicap is likely to be as competitive as ever, there aren't going to be too many unexposed sorts in the field. Rainbow Peak is a notable exception though and given the slow pace and drop in trip was all against him last time, he ran a cracking race in the circumstances. As a lightly-raced C&D winner who is still open to improvement, he looks to have plenty to recommend him.

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