Royal Guineas hopeful Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) galloped over Newmarket's Rowley Mile on Thursday, as he prepares for the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Coronation Day, Saturday, May 6.
The two-for-two colt, bred by the late Queen and owned by the King and Queen Consort, has triumphed at Kempton last autumn and again on Apr. 10. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the chestnut will attempt to put an exclamation point on the Coronation of King Charles III, which will take place at Westminster Abbey roughly six hours prior to the Guineas at Newmarket.
John Gosden said, “He worked well and we'll obviously make our decision over the next few days [on whether he'll run].”
A rider for the colt has not been determined, but James Doyle was in the irons on Thursday.
Gosden added, “It depends. Frankie [Dettori] at the moment obviously has Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the [G1] Dewhurst winner, so we'll just have to see.
“Depending on what else runs, James may well be available. There are decisions to be made.”
Joining Slipofthepen on the Rowley Mile excursion was D. Howden's Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion). The grey is three-for-four, and is riding a three-race winning streak. Fresh off of a one-length condition score at Kempton on Apr. 10, the filly is among the entries of the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday, May 7.
Slipofthepen is currently a 20-1 shot to win the first British Classic of the year. The QIPCO Guineas Festival runs from May 5-7, with the racecourse opening early to show ceremonial events in full.
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