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Mark Johnston
15 Jun 2007
ONLY Sir Michael Stoute and Saeed Bin Suroor have trained more Royal Ascot winners since the mid-90s than Mark Johnston, so it’s bad news for his rivals that the Middleham maestro has once again assembled a strong team for the five-day extravaganza.
Johnston, now firmly established in the top echelon of trainers, makes no secret of the fact that he sets out his stall each year to target the royal fixture, which he describes as “the most important race meeting, of more than one day, in the world.”
Going into this year’s festival on the 26-winner mark, Johnston says: “It’s always a difficult meeting at which to get winners — I had to wait eight years for my first success — but I’m proud of our record there and that since 1995, the only year we’ve not had a winner was in 1998.
“We specifically target horses for the meeting to the extent that we give it priority over everything else, which sometimes means missing valuable races in the run-up to Royal Ascot. It helps, of course, that it takes place at a track where we’ve always done well — even before 1995 many of our big winners, such as Mr Baileys, Marina Park and Quick Ransom, came at Ascot outside of the royal meeting.
“Our horses tend to have a free-running style and the stiff, galloping track — plus the competitive nature of the races there — brings out the best in them. It’s much more difficult to beat hold-up horses on flat, easy tracks.
“With a squad of around 30 lined up for battle, Johnston says he is infinitely more optimistic about his chances than he was at the same time 12 months ago. We went into that meeting in horrendous form and it looked like it was going to stay that way — but then I’m So Lucky, Soapy Danger and Linas Selection all won on the same day.
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise exactly, as I said beforehand the only two horses I felt were in the best possible form were Soapy and Linas, but it was certainly a relief when I’m So Lucky set the ball rolling because there’s always that fear that you’re going to draw a blank.”
Here an in-form Johnston gives the lowdown on his provisional runners, though readers are advised that many of them hold more than one entry and could be switched to alternative races depending on circumstances.    

TUESDAY
Ascot Stakes (Handicap): Doctor Scott, McEldowney, Melpomene
“Doctor Scott stayed on well when winning over 1m6f at Sandown last season and had finished sixth to Linas Selection in the King George V Handicap, so he’s got decent form at the meeting. He ran below par at Musselburgh last time — I don’t know why — but had won at Catterick a week earlier, so I’m happy to let him take his chance. McEldowney is probably the pick of the three. He ran well to finish fifth in the race last year, when he wasn’t at his best, and despite his speedy pedigree and the fact that he’s a 7f winner, he stays the trip no problem. Melpomene has ongoing problems with her knees and usually needs time between races, but she appears to have come out of her recent Haydock third in good shape and can improve on that.”

WEDNESDAY
Jersey Stakes: Annemasse, Regal Parade, White Deer
“Annemasse will need to raise his game after finishing fifth in a Listed race at Epsom last time, but has won three of his six starts and was a good second in the Silver Bowl at Haydock. Unfortunately there is no 7f handicap for three-year-olds, so he could go for the Britannia instead, though that will mean stepping back up to a mile. Regal Parade is the highest-rated of the three and, as a result, would appear to be my best hope. He was very progressive before flopping in the Silver Bowl — perhaps he didn’t stay a mile or it could be that he had a very wide draw and had to use up too much energy getting to the front. White Deer bounced back to form when winning a handicap at Thirsk last time. He also has the Britannia option, which would make sense from a ratings point of view, but I’m not sure he stays a mile.”
Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap): Black Charmer, Prince Of Light
“Black Charmer was Group 2-placed as a 2yo and showed he was on the way back when fifth to Blythe Knight in a Listed handicap at York on his seasonal debut. However, he was very disappointing at Ripon last time, so we’re a bit in the dark with him and the Buckingham Palace is also an option. Prince Of Light would be my number one. He’s exposed and stuck between Group races and handicaps, but is a good horse and should appreciate dropping back to a mile.”
Sandringham Stakes (Handicap): Voodoo Moon
“Voodoo Moon will probably run at York on Saturday in the hope of picking up a penalty that would get her into the handicap proper. She ran very well to finish fourth in the Silver Bowl at Haydock, especially as she didn’t get a clear run. We did a similar thing with Takamaka Bay in 2001 — he won at Leicester two days before landing the Duke Of Edinburgh.”

THURSDAY
Ribblesdale Stakes: Majounes Song
“Majounes Song is a possible and a lot will depend on how she comes out of her good effort in the Listed race at Newbury seven days earlier.”
Britannia Stakes (Handicap): Colorado Rapid, Players Please
“Colorado Rapid is a horse we think a huge amount of — it was a close-run thing whether we went for this race or the St James’s Palace. He’s not the easiest ride in the world, as he showed when putting the brakes on at Thirsk, but we changed tactics and held him up at Pontefract last time and he won impressively considering he got boxed in. I wouldn’t want him covered up too much in such a big field, but we’ll be looking to get a lead off something. Players Please has made a bright start to his career and ran too freely from a wide draw when unplaced in the Newbury handicap won by Zaham last time. He might benefit dropping down to a mile in a strongly run race.”
Hampton Court Stakes: Champery, Zaham
“Champery has won three from six, including a Listed event in Italy last time which means he will have to carry a 5lb penalty. However, stepping up from a mile to 1m2f will be a major positive and Charlie, my son, reckons Champery will win. Zaham is very progressive and although some rivals were supposedly unlucky behind him at Newbury, he beat them fair and square again in the 1m2f handicap at Epsom on Derby Day. They were unlucky in that Zaham was in the field. I disagree with Charlie and think he will beat Champery.”
King George V Stakes (Handicap): Boscobel, Eradicate, Record Breaker, Tartan Tie
“Boscobel made it four wins from five starts when running away with the Glasgow Stakes last time and is very much on the upgrade. Provided he stays — and he wasn’t stopping at Hamilton — he’s exactly the type you need for this race, a Group horse in a handicap. Has an alternative engagement in the King Edward VII Stakes. Eradicate has always been regarded as a very good horse — the only surprise is that he’s been beaten in three of his five races. Like a lot of Montjeu’s progeny, he can be a bit of a thinker but there was no sign of that when he won a good handicap at Haydock last time and he’s going to get better because he’s still a bit green. Also has the King Edward VII option. Record Breaker, a promising fourth at Ascot on his only start last year, was given a rating of 78 after winning first time up at Mussleburgh this season, which made him the best handicapped horse in the yard. He did what he had to do to get in this race by following up at Goodwood next time and could be the best of the three at the weights. Tartan Tie is probably borderline to get in but is improving as he goes up in trip and won his maiden well at Redcar last time. In normal circumstances he wouldn’t be asked to take such a leap in grade, but I’m happy to make an exception where Royal Ascot is concerned.”

FRIDAY
Albany Stakes: Double Attack
“Double Attack needed to win well on her debut at Hamilton to be considered for this and couldn’t have done it better when scoring by five lengths. She could well take her chance.”
King Edward VII Stakes: Boscobel, Eradicate
(See King George V Handicap, Thurs)
Wolferton Rated Stakes (Handicap): Luberon, Nakheel, Road To Love
“Luberon won at Kempton on his return from Dubai but has disappointed since, so we’ve freshened him up in the hope he comes back to form. Nakheel hasn’t yet fulfilled the potential of his two-year-old days after suffering a serious injury, but has been running well and there could be more to come from him. He is possibly better suited to 1m4f, though, and has the Duke Of Edinburgh as an alternative. Road To Love has proven form at the track and ran very well at Goodwood last time. He has to run in this because he’s 2lb too high in the ratings for the Duke Of Edinburgh, but at least the limited weight range will help him.”
Queen’s Vase: Hearthstead Maison, Serengeti
“Hearthstead Maison has been running at a pretty high level and is just the type for this race. We’ve won it before with a 1m4f horse — you don’t necessarily need a two-miler as it’s quite early in the season for three-year-olds. Class, rather than stamina, is often the key and we think enough of him to have considered supplementing him for the King Edward VII. Serengeti isn’t a two-miler either but he’s a resolute galloper and this has been his target for a while. He had to miss the Glasgow due to the soft ground, but comes here on the back of an easy win over 1m2f at Goodwood and will definitely stay further. He’s a useful horse.”
Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap): Black Charmer, Lovelace, Black Charmer (see Royal Hunt Cup, Weds)
“Lovelace won on his two-year-old debut but missed the rest of last season due to injury. He’s getting his act together now and, after winning a 7f handicap at Haydock last month, is due to go back down to 6f for the William Hill Trophy at York. He’s only a vague possible for Royal Ascot at this stage and I’ll be studying the record of three-year-olds in this race before making a decision.”

SATURDAY
Chesham Stakes: Hampstead Heath
“Hampstead Heath is my only possible for this and if he were to win on his debut at Sandown he’d be a likely runner.”
Hardwicke Stakes: Linas Selection
“Linas Selection is obvious candidate having won the King George V Handicap over course and distance last year. He hasn’t run since finishing third to Sixties Icon at Glorious Goodwood last year, so it’s a tall order but it can be done. I’d like to have done a bit more work with him, but it was always the plan to go straight for the race and he gives the impression at home that he’s back on song.”
Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap): Baan, Luberon, Nakheel, Peppertree Lane
“Baan hasn’t run since December and could take his chance depending on how he fares at York the previous Saturday. Luberon and Nakheel are also in the Wolferton and a decision will be made after we know more about the entries for both races. Peppertree Lane would have to be considered a doubtful runner unless the ground came up soft.”
Queen Alexandra Stakes: Golden Quest
“Golden Quest broke a knee after finishing second in the Goodwood Cup two years ago and was never happy last season. However, he shaped well on his recent reappearance at Musselburgh and that was an ideal prep for a race that looks tailor-made for him.”