Ryan Moore will be praying he has finally made the right call when Classic-winning stablemates Precise and True Love lock horns for the third time this season in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Precise was all the rage for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket following an excellent juvenile campaign that included two Group One victories, so it is was no surprise that Ballydoyle’s number one rider sided with her on the Rowley Mile.
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But following an interrupted preparation, Aidan O’Brien’s Starspangledbanner filly could finish only seventh in the first fillies’ Classic of the season while her race-fit stablemate True Love emerged victorious in the hands of Wayne Lordan.
Moore switched allegiances for the Irish Guineas, with Lordan again the beneficiary as Precise raised her game to run out an emphatic winner, with True Love beaten two and a half a lengths.
Round three of the trilogy takes place on the penultimate day of the Royal meeting and Moore has switched back, with Precise odds-on to confirm her superiority over the Lordan-ridden True Love.
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“I’m not sure which one is the best of them, but they’re both high-class,” Moore told World Pool.
“They’re both Group One-winning two-year-olds and obviously both Guineas winners now. True Love won at the Royal meeting as a two-year-old and she’s very fast, winning the Queen Mary. Precise won the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Fillies’ Mile and the mile seems to suit her well.
“They both have outstanding chances.”
Balantina returns to action (Niall Carson/PA)
(Niall Carson)
Donnacha O’Brien saddled Porta Fortuna to win this race in 2024 and is this year represented by Balantina, who makes her long awaited return having been off the track since winning at the Breeders’ Cup last November.
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O’Brien admitted the filly will improve for the run, but is expecting her to give a good account of herself.
“It is her first run of the year and she will definitely come forward for it but she is ready to start and her work has been nice. We are happy with her. It is a nice track and trip so we are happy to let her go,” he said.
The pick of the home team could be the Owen Burrows-trained Touleen, who was sixth in the Guineas at Newmarket and has been kept fresh for Ascot since.
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“She ran well in the Guineas. She’s got four and a half lengths to find, but I think she has taken a step forward, she looks great and I think Ascot will suit her much better than Newmarket,” said the Lambourn handler.
“I’m not saying we will go there and win, but we will run a big race.”
Paddy Twomey fits his Irish Guineas fourth Black Caviar Gold with a visor for the first time, while Charlie Johnston runs Timeforshowcasing, who was down the field in the Newmarket Guineas by has since landed the German equivalent.
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Moon Target (Sir Mark Prescott), Sukanya (Jack Channon) and Rose Ghaiyyath (Richard Hughes) also feature.
