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Guineas runner-up takes St James’s Palace challenge
Roger Teal is confident Tip Two Win can prove his tremendous effort in the 2000 Guineas was no fluke with another bold showing in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Following two lucrative victories in Qatar during the winter, the son of Dark Angel was a largely unconsidered 50-1 shot for the season’s first Classic at Newmarket in early May.
However, Tip Two Win belied his odds with a fantastic performance to finish second to Saxon Warrior and Teal feels a reproduction of that performance will make him tough to beat on the opening day of the Royal meeting.
“We’re very excited. All the work is done and now we’re just waiting for the day to arrive,” said the trainer.
“He’s drawn in stall eight, which I don’t think is a disaster. It would have been worse to be drawn in stall 10.
“The horse seems in very good form and if he can reproduce his performance at Newmarket, then he must have every chance.”
Tip Two Win is the general second-favourite for the mile race behind the the John Gosden-trained Without Parole.
While the latter is unbeaten, even Gosden has admitted to being surprised Teal’s stable star does not head the market.
“I suppose it’s down to fashion. The big stables are more fashionable than small yards like ours, who don’t often win Group Ones,” Teal added.
“The quick ground will suit him and if he stays the stiff mile, then hopefully he’ll be right there at the end.”
Without Parole claimed his third win from as many starts in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown last month, but faces a big step up in class.
Gosden said: “The formline of Tip Two Win – he beat a Derby winner (Masar) in the Guineas – is the best three-year-old form in Europe. You’ve got an Irish Classic winner (Romanised) in there, so to that extent I don’t understand why our horse is favourite.
“He is a progressive horse, but they set the standard and the bar pretty high. He went to Sandown on a minimum of work. I still think those horses that have performed at Group One level over a mile are ahead of him.
“This horse is still learning a lot about life as he only had one run as a two-year-old. He is more on the curve up and he hasn’t achieved what others have yet.”
Frankie Dettori has ridden Without Parole to each of his two victories this season and is looking forward to getting back on board.
He said: “It looks an excellent St James’s Palace and he will have to step up, but he is a Frankel colt and he is very exciting.”
Romanised represents the best of the Irish form, having caused a 25-1 upset in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
His trainer Ken Condon said: “All the checks and balances are done and we’re looking forward to the challenge.
“We’ve been very happy with him since the Curragh. We haven’t had to do much with him, but he seems in very good form.
“It looks like we’re going to get quick ground, which is good, and if he gets a bit of luck in running and a clean trip, hopefully he’ll deliver another very good performance.”
Aidan O’Brien has claimed this prize on a record seven occasions and saddles the Irish Guineas second, third and fourth in US Navy Flag, Gustav Klimt and Threeandfourpence.
Speaking in an stable tour on www.attheraces.com, O’Brien said: “US Navy Flag seems fine after his run in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and we want to give him another shot at a mile against his own age group.
“We don’t think he’ll have a problem dropping in trip if we want him to and hopefully this run will tell us what direction to go with him.
“We’re not 100 per cent sure if Gustav Klimt stays a mile, even after running him twice over it.
“We don’t think he’ll have any problem dropping back to seven or even six furlongs, but we’ll give him one more chance over a mile against his own age group before we decide what to do with him in trip terms.”
Godolphin’s Wootton placed fourth in the French 2000 Guineas and crosses the Channel for Henri-Alex Pantall.
Martyn Meade’s Chilean and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Gabr complete the field.