Animal Kingdom takes in Ascot with Velazquez aboard

Animal Kingdom and John Velazquez head out for a spin around Ascot’s grass (Photo courtesy of Ascot via Twitter)

Animal Kingdom was put through his paces at Ascot
on Wednesday as he is geared toward a tilt at the Group 1 Queen Anne at the Royal
Ascot meeting June 18.

Watched by trainer Graham Motion, the five-year-old son of Leroidesanimaux was partnered
by John Velazquez in the spin over five furlongs of the straight course and
stretched away from his companion before fly-jumping at the winning line to
advertise his wellbeing.

“He just saw the line and jumped right on top of it,”
Velazquez told PA Sport. “It’s a different place and you’ve got to expect
something new. The grass was going one way, and the line the other and he jumped
on top of it, rather than over it. I knew he had seen something, but he’ll have
blinkers and a shadow roll on raceday anyway Everything else went very well.”

According to a tweet from Motion, the chestnut went his final quarter
mile in :24.6.

Animal Kingdom, who has been stabled with David Lanigan in
Lambourn since arriving from Dubai, was on rain-softened ground and his rider
was happy with the outcome.

“He hadn’t been on soft turf like today, but he
handled it very well,” Velazquez added. “He’s very versatile, he has won on dirt,
synthetic and grass, I wasn’t sure if he’d handle it but he did. I hadn’t ridden
him since Gulfstream the February before last, but he felt the same.”