Bewitched can cast spell over her rivals

Familiar ground: Bewitched shows her liking for Ascot when winning at the course last season

13 April 2012

Ante-post punters who waded in early on the favourite Delegator in tomorrow's Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot face an uncomfortable 24 hours as the horse's connections monitor the amount of rain that falls on the course ahead of the big sprint.

Delegator was the subject of sustained support following his eye-catching victory at York in May on his return to six furlongs. But he has already lost his regular jockey Frankie Dettori through suspension and could well be pulled out of this hugely valuable contest at the last minute if more rain arrives today.

Simon Crisford, racing manager for Godolphin, said: "All this horse's best form is on fast ground so we will sit and think about what to do and see closer to the time."

If Delegator is given the green light in the Group One contest, he will be ridden by 19-year-old French star Mickael Barzalona, who shot to fame with his astonishing late winning charge on Pour Moi in the Investec Derby two weeks ago. But the crucial change in the going at Ascot makes it impossible to support him with real confidence.

With the heavily-supported Australian raider Hinchinbrook pulled out of the race yesterday through lameness, betting for the Golden Jubilee has a completely different shape to it.

The new favourite is another Aussie sprinter, Star Witness, who came close to landing the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
He lost his chance at the start, where he was left in last place by a bump from a rival as they left the stalls. The four-year-old then made such relentless progress that it seemed he would snatch victory from the jaws of the defeat but was then just pipped by Prohibit in the run to the line.

It was a performance that offered encouragement that he might do even better over tomorrow's extra furlong. As his trainer, Danny O'Brien, said: "It was a run that said six furlongs would suit him even better. After that messy start he ended up further back than we would have liked. He kept on strongly but had a bit too much to do."

The draw could be decisive here with the speedy filly Hooray housed in stall two. She was the top two-year-old filly last year and showed bags of pace in winning at Epsom two weeks ago.

Elzaam's chance may have been compromised by the rain and the value lies with the Irish filly Bewitched, whose defeat of Zoffany at Leopardstown was boosted by the runner-up's close second to Frankel on Tuesday. The bonus is that trainer Charles O'Brien has booked brilliant big-race jockey Johnny Murtagh for the four-year-old.
For those with an eye to the future, the most interesting runner on the final day of the Royal meeting is Await The Dawn in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes.

He missed the best part of a year through injury before bouncing back with two easy victories last autumn and then confirmed the high opinion of his trainer Aidan O'Brien with a flawless triumph in the Huxley Stakes at Chester in May.

The step up in trip to a mile and a half has been on the cards for a while for a colt whose future entries suggest he can go to the top.

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Bewitched can cast spell over her rivals

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