Queen Anne Stakes favourite Inspiral could switch to another race at Royal Ascot

09 June 2024 , 15:29

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Inspiral ridden by Frankie Dettori on their way to winning the Coronation Stakes in 2022 (Image: PA)

John Gosden has warned Queen Anne Stakes favourite Inspiral could yet switch to the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot the following day.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned mare is as short as 2-1 to better her neck second in the five-day fixture’s opener of 12 months ago.

But with a virus triggering the defection of 7-4 market leader Passenger from the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, and with Irish challenger

White Birch yet to be confirmed - both colts are sons of the stud’s stallion Ulysses - a switch to the 10-furlong Wednesday feature is an option.

Inspiral, who can be backed at 11-1 for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, landed the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over a mile and a quarter at Santa Anita last November and Gosden said: “She’s got entries in both races - it’s not all about the Queen Anne.

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“She won over 10 furlongs in America and there’s no reason why she couldn’t run in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.”

Inspiral was in action on Newmarket’s July Course under Clarhaven stable jockey Kieran Shoemark on Saturday and Gosden, who trains the five-year-old in tandem with son Thady, added: “I was very pleased with her work.

“She will tell us over the next few days, and we will make a decision then.”

Meanwhile, Crimson Advocate will join John and Thady Gosden ahead of her bid for back-to-back Royal Ascot victories later this month.

The daughter of Nyquist gave American handler George Weaver one of the biggest days of his career when blazing a trail to deny Relief Rally in a thrilling Queen Mary Stakes in 2023 and is now on course for the King Charles III Stakes over the same track and trip on the opening day of the Royal meeting.

David Yates