Harry ready to break the ice at Ascot

A glance at the form book shows Godolphin sprinting star Harry Angel has yet to break his Ascot ‘duck’ after four outings at the Berkshire course.

But it may be unwise to interpret that as a negative factor going into Saturday’s feature, the G1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, run over the straight six furlongs.

Trainer Clive Cox, who has trained the son of Dark Angel with this one target in mind, is not concerned and believes the race will enable ‘Harry’ to lay his Ascot ghosts to rest.

“I am very pleased where we have him at present,” Cox said.

“He ran very well to win under a penalty at York and he has done well since,” the trainer added.

Harry Angel established himself as Europe’s champion sprinter with wins in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket and G1 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock Park last year.

He also played a leading role in Royal Ascot’s G1 Commonwealth Cup, in which he finished a close second to Caravaggio, with Godolphin’s other crack sprinter Blue Point back in third.

There is plenty of depth to this year’s Diamond Jubilee, with the Australian raider Redkirk Warrior carrying the confidence of his connections.

Redkirk Warrior, trained by David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, has won the last two runnings of Australia’s top sprint, the G1 Newmarket Handicap.

He is top class. One of those he defeated in the latest running of the Newmarket, Merchant Navy (third), has transferred to Aidan O’Brien in Ireland.

The pair were on opposite sides of the track at Flemington, which they may well be again in the Diamond Jubilee.

Trainer Charlie Appleby saddles D’Bai as a second string for Godolphin, and he clearly believes this talented type can be placed.

Appleby said of D’Bai : “I’m delighted with him. He’s a horse I’ve always wanted to take down the sprinting route.

“He put up a good performance in Dubai when he finished fifth to Jungle Cat, and then back in the UK, he was second to The Tin Man at Windsor.

“We stepped him up in trip to seven furlongs and he won the G3 John O’Gaunt at Haydock...that was just to get a run into him before Royal Ascot. He will love the stiff ‘six’ at Ascot, and hopefully he can travel well throughout and then pick up the pieces late,” the trainer said.