By Emma Berry
Racing returns to Newmarket's July Course later this month but prior to that John and Thady Gosden took advantage of the fresh turf to give three of their stable's Royal Ascot runners a racecourse gallop on Saturday morning, including the Breeders' Cup victrix Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Now five, the Cheveley Park Stud homebred was fourth behind her stable-mate and fellow Thompson family colour-bearer Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) on her return in the G1 Lockinge S. on May 18. She now looks likely to have another attempt at the G1 Queen Anne S., having been beaten just a neck in that contest last year when second to Triple Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Inspiral, who won the G1 Coronation S. at the royal meeting of 2022, also holds an entry for the G1 Prince of Wales's S., along with her work-mate on Saturday morning, Lord North (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The pair was joined by Juddmonte's G1 Sun Chariot S. runner-up Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who has been absent since last year's Lockinge.
After watching the trio work over a mile, John Gosden said of Inspiral, who was ridden by Kieran Shoemark and appeared to travel easily alongside Lord North and Rab Havlin, “She's worked well. She'd had a long time off since the Breeders' Cup and she definitely needed her race in the Lockinge. I'm sure it will bring her on a lot.”
Of the Lockinge, he said, “I thought Audience did exceptionally well and was ignored. He had a nice track up the middle and she came across, just like she did in the Jacques le Marois when Frankie was riding her. She had to move a long way across from stall one but she picked up well and then just needed the race, definitely in the last furlong and a half. But she's breezed at home and has done a nice piece of work here today and hopefully that will set her up nicely for Ascot.”
Inspiral, who was on her toes on arrival at the July Course, will again face Audience if she heads to the Queen Anne on the opening day of Royal Ascot. Gosden added, “She's a big five-year-old mare now and, as you can see, she has a strong mind of her own. Basically you play to her, you don't tell her what to do.
“[The Queen Anne] looks the most likely place to be going but she's in both races and we know that a mile or a mile and a quarter are fine for her.”
The trainer, who has earlier watched Gold Cup hope Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) in action on the gallops on the other side of Newmarket, also confirmed that Lord North will head to the Prince of Wales's S., while Laurel, who was partnered in her work by Kieran O'Neill, is set to return in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. on the Wednesday of the meeting.
He said, “Laurel just slightly needed the work but she'll come on a lot for it. She went back to the farm [after last year's Lockinge] but she worked well today. She just needed the work, the last furlong up the hill, but she has had a good blow and all being well we'll go to the Duke Of Cambridge.”
Inspiral (Kieran Shoemark, burgundy cap), Lord North (Rab Havlin, black) and Laurel (Kieran O'Neill, blue) having a pre-@Ascot spin on Newmarket's July Course this morning. pic.twitter.com/nNsmv2bhFb
— Emma Berry (@CollingsBerry) June 8, 2024
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