3 minute read
American trainer Wesley Ward will arguably have his strongest squad yet when he sets his sights on Royal Ascot this month.
Leading the team is last year's scintillating Queen Mary Stakes winner Lady Aurelia in the King's Stand Stakes but, if anything, Ward sounds more confident about a couple of his other runners.
Bound For Nowhere will run in the Commonwealth Cup, taking on Aidan O'Brien's Caravaggio and the Clive Cox-trained Harry Angel, while Happy Like A Fool will aim to emulate Lady Aurelia in the Queen Mary.
"All have travelled over great, no worries. We've got nine over there at the moment," said Ward, who flies in to oversee their preparation on Sunday.
"Lady Aurelia is a bigger filly this year. Last year she looked like a little bulldog, but she's gotten a little taller and a little wider.
"In the Giant's Causeway in April she beat older fillies, but this time she's going to have to go and beat the older boys from the rest of the world, it's going to be tough for her.
"I think Happy Like A Fool looks to have a really good chance in the Queen Mary and I've also got a nice colt going for the Norfolk called McErin. He's done his racing on dirt, but when we've galloped him on the grass he's been much better, I'm looking forward to him.
"One I really like is Bound For Nowhere in the Commonwealth Cup, I'm really excited about him, partly because I own him!
"He'd been working with Lady Aurelia before she ran in the Giant's Causeway and when he went to have his race he exploded and won easily.
"When they both resumed working together again he actually bested her in a couple of gallops so I'm hugely excited about him, although I know that looks a really tough race.
"I've had seven winners there and I'm really hoping to make it eight this year."
Con Te Partiro (Sandringham), Arawak (Coventry), Nootka Sound and Elizabeth Darcy (Windsor Castle) and Princess Peggy (Albany) make up the Ward team.