Royal Ascot Ambassador Quotes: 'She’s in top form and is quite a nice filly'

SBK Flat ambassadors Nicola Currie, Sean Levey, Derby-winning rider Richard Kingscote and Classic-winning trainer George Boughey spoke to us about their chances of a winner at Royal Ascot.

Best chance of a winner

Richard Kingscote, jockey: “Ascot is my favourite week of the year, so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s incredibly difficult to ride winners at this meeting, but hopefully I can get some horses running well and, if I can get a winner, that would be great.

"My best chance looks like being Ffion for David Loughnane in the Kensington Palace Stakes (6.10) on Wednesday. She ran well at the meeting last year when she was just touched off by her stablemate and hopefully she can go well."

Nicola Currie, jockey: “Just Hubert goes for the Ascot Stakes (5.00) on Tuesday. He’s a horse we’ve not seen the best of yet. He’s a very quirky type, but he acts well at Ascot and has never run a bad race there. He performed creditably from a wide draw in this race last season and we’ll have that same task to deal with this time as he’s in stall 20. He stays the trip well he’s very versatile groundwise, so I’m very much looking forward to riding him. 

“Obviously it’s a very competitive race on paper - we’re taking on very highly-rated horses from the jumps scene such as Pied Piper and Bring On The Night, and if they handle the quick ground it’s going to be a tough race. However, Just Hubert is coming into his best form and we might see the best of him.”

Sean Levey, jockey: "My best chance of the week would be Heredia, who runs in the Sandringham (5.00) on Friday. She’s in top form and is quite a nice filly."

George Boughey, trainer: “Our best chance of the week is Missed The Cut, a horse who is improving at home. He’s owned by a great friend in Ed Babington and it’s been his life-long dream to have a winner at Royal Ascot. Missed The Cut goes into the Golden Gates Stakes (5.35 Saturday) with a good chance and hopefully we’ll be seeing him in better races later in the year."

Other runners worth following

Kingscote: "I’m also hoping for better from Primo Bacio, who runs in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (4.20) earlier on the Wednesday card. She didn’t run her race at Goodwood. Before that she did a brilliant piece of work, but she didn’t perform on the track. Hopefully we can get her to bounce back and show her true colours.”

Levey: "I’m looking forward to riding Powerdress. She’s only run once - she won at Newmarket first time out - but her form is standing out and she’s been doing well at home. She should run in the Albany (2.30) on Friday, and I’m really looking forward to riding her.”

Boughey: "It’s exciting to be going into Royal Ascot with some live chances. The horses have been running well and that’s down to the hard work from all the team at home. 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet heads our team. She’s been working well and we’re looking forward to Friday’s Coronation Stakes (4.20). She’s incredibly tenacious and likes going around a bend, so there are plenty of positives for her.”