Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) will look to provide trainer Sir Michael Stoute with a fifth success in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot next month following his triumphant return to action at Chester.
Sparingly raced as a three-year-old when his standout performances included an unlucky-in-running third in the G2 Dante S. at York and a narrow victory in the G3 Winter Hill S. at Windsor, Passenger looked an improved model when returning from nearly nine months off with a smooth win in the G3 Huxley S. on the Roodee, beating Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) by a length and a half in course-record time.
That effort has earned the four-year-old a steep rise in class at the Royal meeting, having found last year's Derby at Epsom coming too soon in his development on his only previous start at the top level.
“We were absolutely delighted with Passenger at Chester,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager for the Niarchos family's Flaxman Stables Ireland. “He did it very well and everybody is very happy with him. I believe it was a track record and he couldn't have done it any better.
“He's lightly-raced for a four-year-old after just five starts and the plan is to go for the Prince Of Wales's, all being well. He ran in the Derby last year and now he is much more mature and we'll find out more at Royal Ascot.”
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