3 minute read

Daniel and Claire Kubler have two exciting handicap prospects in Royal Ascot runner-up Don’t Tell Claire and Astro King, with big-race targets for the remainder of the season.

Don't Tell Claire could head down the Listed or handicap route after her strong second in the Kensington Palace Fillies' Handicap at the Royal meeting. She has been an excellent servant for the yard with five victories from her twenty-nine runs, amassing earnings of just over £100,000. It is likely to be the six-year-old mare's last season in training, so picking up some Black Type would be a welcome addition to Don't Tell Claire's record.

"We're just thinking about where we run her next, we're not quite sure but we'll probably go to Newbury on July 22," said co-trainer Daniel Kubler.

"She ran a really good race [at Ascot], we were really pleased with her.

"She's very genuine and very consistent, she's been a absolute pleasure to train.

"She's still on a reasonably good handicap mark but it probably is her last season racing, so we'd like to get some black type for her before she goes to stud.

"Equally, there's a whole series of decent fillies' handicaps that she's so competitive in.

"The Iron Stand [War Horse Memorial] fillies' handicap at Ascot in September, she won that two years ago and she was second in it last year, so that's an option and maybe the race at Newmarket towards the end of the season – the Rosemary Stakes.

"There's also the Listed race at Haydock, the Dick Hern, too.

"She's beaten so many horses that have got Black Type already and she deserves it, it's just a case of trying to find the right spot for her."

Bought for 36,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale from Sir Michael Stoute, Astro King made a solid start to his career with the Kubler team when fourth at York. He struggled to get involved in the Royal Hunt Cup on his subsequent start, having finished second in the same race in 2021.

"We learnt a bit about him, he seemed to prefer being held up a bit more at York first time out, so I think we'll go back to those tactics.

"He's always looked like he'd get 10 furlongs, he tried it a couple of times with previous connections and there was a reasonable excuse each time – one time he didn't come back quite right and another time he pulled a shoe off.

"I think it's worth experimenting with a bit further, some of the genetic testing data suggests he should get 10 furlongs, so we'll give it a go."