Roger Varian Stable Tour

Form profile

A dual winner at three, this colt took his form to a new level at York’s Dante Festival, winning a 10.5f handicap with nonchalant ease. That was his first run for seven months and provoked a stern reaction from the handicapper, who raised him 10lb.

Trainer says

He’s moving up in class after looking very impressive in a handicap at York last month. Soft ground will be the key to his chances but the Wolferton looks the ideal race for him and I’m looking forward to seeing him run.

Form profile

A classy daughter of Kingman, she showed her aptitude for Ascot with a head win over subsequent Group 3 winner Breege in the Listed October Stakes. Her re-appearance in the Group 3 Chartwell Stakes at Lingfield was disappointing but she looked ill at ease on the track.

Trainer says

She didn’t enjoy Lingfield on her comeback run but it was too bad to be true. If she’d finished third or fourth I’d have accepted that she probably isn’t up to running in a race like the Kensington Palace Stakes but I know she’s better than she showed.

Form profile

The potential to develop into a top-class miler was evident when this grey finished in the money behind Paddington in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes last year. This season he has looked the finished article, winning a Listed race at Doncaster in the spring and supplementing that with Group 2 success in the bet365 Mile at Sandown. His second in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury confirmed him a major player in the Queen Anne.

Trainer says

He’s in such great form I wish the race was this week. His second in the Lockinge was a big performance and that’s some of the best form on offer. He’s versatile ground-wise and I wouldn’t swap him for anything.

Form profile

This powerful chestnut won three times on the All-Weather over the winter and was third in the Mile Final on Good Friday. Since then he’s posted two pleasing efforts in defeat on turf at Epsom and over a trip short of his optimum in the Victoria Cup at Ascot.

Trainer says

He’s at his best over a stiff mile so I’m hopeful of a big run in the Royal Hunt Cup. He ran well over an inadequate 7f in the Victoria Cup and again at Epsom and those races have set him up nicely for this.

Form profile

He’s no stranger to Royal Ascot, having won the Britannia as a 3yo and signed off last season with a won over 1m on the round course. He ran well from his near side draw when beaten favourite in last year’s Royal Hunt Cup but must prove his fitness on his return from a lengthy lay-off.

Trainer says

He had a set-back in the spring so hasn’t had the benefit of a run yet but he can be dangerous in these big handicaps when everything goes right. He won the Britannia at three and won the Shergar Cup Mile at Ascot last season. He’s showing us at home that he retains all his ability.

Form profile

Unexposed after only five career starts as a 3yo in his first season, this grey son of Almanzor will arrive at the Royal meeting on the back of an eight-month absence from the track. A winner at Haydock in September, he went close in a valuable handicap at Newmarket the following month and resumes off a 6lb higher mark.

Trainer says

I’m hoping he will sneak into the Duke Of Edinburgh. He hasn’t run yet this season but won a good handicap at Haydock last year and was second in the Old Borough Cup. He’s been gelded over the winter and is working well but does lack experience.

Form profile

His comeback run at York in May can be ignored as he was found to be off-colour so the son of Night Of Thunder is better judged on his Royal Lodge second back in September. His second to Rosallion in Listed company at Ascot before that has been franked with the winner going on to Classic glory in Ireland.

Trainer says

He was disappointing in the Dante but his bloods were all wrong afterwards. He was a very good 2yo and I have no doubt he’s trained on. He’s been working well and the Hampton Court Stakes will suit him.

Form profile

An agonising defeat in Group 3 company at Newmarket in the autumn was enough to confirm this colt a genuine Pattern performer and it is no surprise to see him progress again this season. His Listed win in the King Charles II Stakes at Headquarters in early May was more than enough to earn his place in Varian’s Royal Ascot team.

Trainer says

I’ve had the Jersey in mind for him since the winter so I was delighted to see him win the Listed race at Newmarket on his second start back. It’s shaping up to be a hot renewal but the faster the ground the better and that stiff 7f will be ideal.

Form profile

The return to 1m saw him win a competitive handicap at Haydock on 8th June, which elevated his official rating 6lb to 92. A dual mile winner on the All-Weather at Lingfield over the winter, he may be joined in the Britannia Stakes by stablemate Mission To Moon, whose staying on second over 7f at Epsom on Oaks Day looks solid form.

Trainer says

He’s a progressive 3yo who impressed me at Haydock on his most recent start. He won there with a lot in hand. The 6lb he’s gone up for that should get him into the Britannia. I’ll probably run MISSION TO MOON in the same race. He ran well at Epsom and looks ready for the step up to 1m but some ease in the ground would be ideal for him.

Form profile

The son of Camelot looked a legitimate Derby contender after bustling up the winner in the Epsom trial in April but ran no sort of race at Lingfield the following month. He won’t lack for stamina this year and may appreciate the return to a more conventional track like Ascot.

Trainer says

He ran well in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom so we expected him to do a lot better in the Lingfield Derby Trial, but racing down the hill on fast ground didn’t help him. He’s got a few options but I’m favouring the Kind Edward VII at this stage. He’s a nice horse who has the ability to quickly bounce back.

Form profile

She was unfancied in the Qipco 1000 Guineas after finishing third in the Fred Darling but stayed on with purpose at Newmarket to defy odds of 28-1 on only her third career start. The form has been franked by beaten favourite Fallen Angel’s win in the Irish 1,000 Guineas adding spice to their eagerly anticipated re-match in the Coronation Stakes.

Trainer says

She worked nicely on Tuesday morning in readiness for the Coronation but isn’t a flashy worker at home. She’s done very well physically since winning the Guineas. It’s going to be a hell of a race with Fallen Angel, Opera Singer and Ramatuelle in the line-up but I wouldn’t swap my filly.

Form profile

A Newcastle novice winner last July, he struggled in Listed and Group 3 company before finding one too good at odds of 8-15 in another novice on the Gosforth Park Tapeta. He could be joined in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes by Moswaat, who has struggled to supplement his novice success, and Brave Empire, who has won three of his six starts to earn a rating of 95.

Trainer says

He’s got more to give and will hopefully continue to climb the ranks but you need luck in this big-field handicap. He’s been working nicely and could be dangerous in things fall his way. I’ll probably run MOSWAAT, who is best with some juice in the ground, and BRAVE EMPIRE, who won nicely at Lingfield but would prefer it faster.

Form profile

Fourth in a Yarmouth maiden to subsequent Listed winner Almaqam, this son of Lope De Vega stepped up in fine style to win a similar race over 1m at Leicester at the beginning of June and looks ready to charter deeper waters.

Trainer says

He was fourth in a strong race at Yarmouth which has worked out well and then won well at Leicester. Stepping up to 10f for the first time in the Golden Gates Stakes could see him improve again.

Form profile

A dual winner in maiden and novice company last year, this half-sister to Varian’s Cell Sa Beela couldn’t cope with the step up to Group 2 company in the Rockfel in September and made an underwhelming re-appearance at York. That said, she remains lightly raced and open to improvement over 1m.

Trainer says

Her run in the Michael Seely at York was a non-event but nothing came to light. She may have just been a bit rusty on her first start of the year. She’s been in good form since and worked very well on Wednesday morning.

Form profile

Cheveley Park’s daughter of Blue Point is bred to be fast but also has some stamina on her page, being a half-sister to a 1m winner out of a dam who won over seven. She got off to a flying start in a 5f Yarmouth fillies’ maiden, producing a professional performance under James Doyle to win by over three lengths.

Trainer says

I don’t know what she achieved in winning a three-runner race at Yarmouth. She’ll improve for better ground if she gets it at Ascot and has enough speed and class to take her chance in the Queen Mary.