Trainer Wesley Ward will aim Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) hero Hootenanny
(Quality Road) and Del Mar Debutante S. (G1) heroine Sunset Glow (Exchange Rate)
at Royal Ascot after scratching them from their respective Guineas engagements.
Both horses could now take their chance in the Commonwealth Cup, the new Group 1
sprint at the big June meeting.
Hootenanny was an impressive winner of the Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot
last summer while Sunset Glow was second to subsequent Group 1 winner Cursory
Glance (Distorted Humor) in the Albany S. (Eng-G3) also at that meeting. The
pair were in action recently with Hootenanny making mincemeat of his three
rivals in a Keeneland allowance over 5 1/2 furlongs Saturday while Sunset Glow
was third in the Appalachian S. (G3) over a mile on the same course a week
earlier.
“It’s just the races at Newmarket are a bit too close to their last run,”
Ward said of the May 2 and 3 classics. “I like to give my horses some time
between starts. If Sunset Glow had won her race, then the Guineas would have
been something we’d look at but unfortunately she got beat. There were no
excuses so that’s the reason we are not bringing them to Newmarket.
“For Hootenanny I’ve been looking at 30 days from race-to-race or train him
straight for the Commonwealth Cup, the new Group 1. I think he’s going to want
to go further, but the way he ran at Ascot last year and on Saturday he’s going
to be a demon going shorter. He loves the course so we’re trying to go on the
same lines. I like to run sprinters fresh in their races and I think he can go
right from his last race here and just tear the barn down and be ready to roll.
“I just hope my jockey (Frankie Dettori) is free and not needed by Sheikh
Joann al Thani.”
“I’ve got Sunset Glow nominated as well for the Commonwealth,” the trainer
continued. “The owner (David Mowat of Ten Broeck Farm) is very keen to get to
Ascot. He had a wonderful experience last year when she was second. She’s doing
really well and I’m looking forward to taking her back. I’m expecting big things
from her as well.”
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