Mark Johnston Stable Tour

Form profile

Winner of four of his nine start and currently rated 104. Scored by a neck from Corgi in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot (1m 4f) last June and was having his first run since when third, beaten three quarters of a length, to Bartholomeu Dias at Newcastle (1m 4 1/2f) in April off a mark of 98. Returned to winning form at Newmarket (1m 4f) in May when beating Corelli half a length off a mark of 100.

Trainer says

We have Charles Kingley who has won his last two and Aquarius who won well at Chester in the Duke of Edinburgh but our main hope would probably be Baghdad. He won over the same course and distance at the Royal meeting last year and sadly got injured in the King George V. He broke his leg and missed the whole year but came back and ran a lovely race at Newcastle and then won at Newmarket at the Guineas meeting. The handicapper put him up to 104 that day and this is a 0-105 handicap, so we weren’t going to risk running again and going above 105. He has been saved for this race and I think he has a big chance.

Form profile

Winner of seven of his 28 starts and currently rated 111. Returned to winning form on latest start at York (7f) in May when beating So Beloved two and a quarter lengths off a mark of 107.

Trainer says

He will probably be one of our two runners in the Royal Hunt Cup and he will probably have topweight. It is a tough ask to carry topweight in a Hunt Cup, but he seems in great form and won very well at York last time out. He has plenty of Group form, but I think his best chance at the meeting is in a handicap. We have kept him fresh for Ascot since his York run and he wouldn’t want too much rain, he’s a top of the ground horse.

Form profile

Winner of six of his 19 starts and currently rated 114. Returned to winning form when beating Defoe a length and a quarter in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket (1m 4f) in May before finishing fourth to that rival (beaten seven and a half lengths) in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom (1m 4f) later that month.

Trainer says

He will run in the Hardwicke. He won the Jockey Club at Newmarket and I thought he ran a screamer in the Coronation Cup. If Defoe and a few others turn up he has a bit to find but he’s improved from a handicapper last year to a proper Group horse this year.

Form profile

Winner of four of her 15 starts and currently rated 115. Runner-up in the Derby in 2018, finishing a length and a half behind Masar and has won both of his races over longer trips this season. Scored by three and a quarter lengths from Raymond Tusk in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot (2m) in May and followed up with a length and three quarter victory from Mekong in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown (2m) later that month.

Trainer says

We are really looking forward to Dee Ex Bee in the Gold Cup. I know there has been a lot of talk about him this spring and we are hoping to put it up to Stradivarius. We are not underestimating the challenge he sets in the slightest – he is the reigning champion and he hasn’t been beaten for about 18 months. He is going to be a very tough nut to crack but we couldn’t be happier with our horse. He has some great three-year-old form at a mile and a half, we are nearly certain he will stay two and a half miles and he is versatile regarding ground. He is going there with a big chance and we are hopeful he can go very close. He’s the first horse we have had since Royal Rebel who goes tto the Gold Cup with a chance.

Form profile

Winner of three of his eight stars and currently rated 111. Returned to winning form with a two and a half-length success from Willie John in a Listed contest at Goodwood (1m 2f) in May.

Trainer says

He will go for the Wolferton. We were really placed with his win at Goodwood last time – a lot of people were quite quick to get on this horse’s back and were crabbing him after a disappointing year last year. He is still in the Prince of Wales’s but that is shaping up to be one of the toughest races of the meeting and I think it is more likely he will go for the Wolferton and go there with a very good chance. A mile and a quarter at Ascot will be ideal and hopefully he can build on the Goodwood win.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 29 starts and currently rated 103. Gained his last win at Goodwood (6f) in May when beating Puds two and a quarter lengths off a mark of 98.

Trainer says

He will probably run in the Wokingham and he won at Goodwood and then finished second at Epsom over Derby weekend. We are still in two minds to what his trip is and it could be seven furlongs but there is no race over seven for him at the meeting and he will run in the Wokingham. He is not short of speed and he has already won twice this year and hasn’t got a lot to hide from the handicapper.

Form profile

lengths from Eden Rose off a mark of 98 in a handicap at Haydock (2m) in May.

Trainer says

He could be one of our two in the Queen Alexandra and he won well at Haydock a couple of weeks ago. He is a funny horse as he never goes a yard for the first mile and a half and looks in trouble and then come good once his stamina really kicks in. I think the extreme test over two miles and six furlongs could be right up his street and he could have a good chance.

Form profile

Winner of four of his 18 starts and currently rated 108. Made much of the running when landing the Chester Cup at Chester (2m 2 1/2f) I May by six lengths from Who Dares Wins off a mark of 101.

Trainer says

He and Lucky Deal could be our two runners in the Queen Alexandra. Making Miracles won the Chester Cup in good style and just found things a bit too hot behind Dee Ex Bee in the Henry II Stakes. This will be a slight drop down in class and we know he handles a bit of cut in the ground after Chester. His stamina is pretty limitless, and he won’t be worried by the two miles and six. He goes there with a chance as well.

Form profile

Winner of seven of his 12 starts and currently rated 115. Progressive individual who won the Easter Classic at Lingfield Park on Good Friday. Finished runner-up, beaten three quarters of a length, to Forest Ranger on his return to the turf in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at Chester (1m 2 1/2f) in May and runner-up, beaten three and three quarter lengths, to Regal Reality in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown (1m 2f) later that month.

Trainer says

Matterhorn will run in the Queen Anne Stakes. He has run well to finish second in the Huxley and the Brigadier Gerard in his last two starts and when Joe (Fanning) got off at Sandown he agreed what we thought he could come back to a mile. He looked to travel quite strongly in the Brigadier Gerard and then got outpaced by Regal Reality close home. We know he is going to have to improve half a stone to be bang there in the shake-up but it doesn’t look the strongest division this year.

Form profile

Winner of four of her 20 starts and currently rated 107. Best effort this season on her reappearance in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket (1m 1f) in May when runner-up, beaten a length, to Worth Waiting.

Trainer says

She will be one of our two runners in the Duke of Cambridge. She has had a couple of disappointing runs recently, but she was lame straight after the race at Epsom on Oaks Day and had a foot abcess straight away afterwards. Hopefully, that is the reason for that disappointing run and back to the form of her second in the Dahlia at Newmarket she would be worthy of a shot in this. On a best form she has been Group 1 placed on a few occasions and we would hope she could be competitive in the Duke of Cambridge.

Form profile

Winner of three of her 11 starts and currently rated 104. Finished runner-up, beaten six lengths, to Alpha Centauri in last year’s Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot (1m) in June.

Trainer says

She could also run in the Duke of Cambridge along with Nyaleti. Her form tailed off last year and finished on a bit of a low note. She has taken a bit of time to come to herself this Spring so we have given her plenty of time. We are going to go to Ascot over the same course and distance in which she ran her best ever race when second in the Coronation. It wouldn’t surprise me to see her run a big race.

Form profile

Winner of six of his 18 starts and currently rated 99. Finished fourth, beaten three and a half lengths, to Raising Sand in a handicap at Ascot (7f) in October off a mark of 100 on his final start.

Trainer says

He has had a few setbacks this spring, so it will be his first run of the year. He has some good bits of form last year and he will go there with an each-way squeak.

Form profile

Winner of five of her nine starts and currently rated 107. Returned to winning form when beating Axana a neck in the Group 2 German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf (1m) in May.

Trainer says

She will run in the Coronation Stakes. She was disappointing in the Nell Gwyn at the start of the year, but she hadn’t really come to herself at that stage. We gave her a bit of a break and went for the German 1000 Guineas and she won. She deserves a shot at a race like this and if Hermosa goes we are probably all bidding for second place.

Form profile

Winner of three of his 14 starts and currently rated 104. Finished third, beaten a length and three quarters, to Space Blues in a listed event at Epsom (7f) in May and previously fourth, beaten two- and three-quarter lengths, to Fox Champion in the Group 2 German 2000 Guineas at Cologne (1m) earlier that month.

Trainer says

There a chance that Marie’s Diamond could run in the Britannia. He would be towards the top of the weights and he has been running well this season – he was fourth in the German Guineas and finished third at Epsom.

Form profile

Winner of three of his nine starts and currently rated 104. Made a winning reappearance at Newmarket (1m 2f) in May when scoring by five lengths from Fraser Island off a mark of 96.

Trainer says

He is likely to run at Ascot on Wednesday. He started the year of impressively at Newmarket and finished down the field in the Dante. He was also a bit disappointing at Epsom on Derby Day, but we feel a jump up half a mile to a mile and six in the Queen’s Vase will help him. We hope that will bring about a bit of improvement.

Form profile

Winner of three of his 10 starts and currently rated 100. Finished fourth, beaten three lengths, to Private Secretary in a listed event at Goodwood (1m 3f) latest start in June.

Trainer says

He could join Sir Ron Priestley and Summer Moon in the King George V Handicap and he has been running well in Derby Trials and race like that. He was behind Bangkok and UAE Jewel at Sandown and Newmarket and Private Secretary at Goodwood and has been running behind some very good horses. This will be his first start back in a handicap for a long time and the trip, track and ground will all suit him, and he would have an each-way chance.

Form profile

Winner of two of his 4 starts and currently rated 94. Has won both of his starts over a mile and a half this season and scored by three and three quarter lengths from Lariat in a handicap at Haydock in May off a mark of 86.

Trainer says

We will have a few bullets in the King George V Handicap and I think our best chance is with this horse. We won the race last year with Baghdad. I hope he is a horse with a similar profile – he won a little Mickey Mouse event at Haydock four weeks ago just a four-runner event, but he went there specifically to get his rating up. We were worried he wouldn’t get in and he’s a lightly raced horse but one with potentially huge potential. He still has a King Edward VII entry but it more likely he will run in the handicap and I think is one of our better chances of the week.

Form profile

Winner of two of his 7 starts and currently rated 95. Finished runner-up, beaten half a length, to Durston in a handicap at Doncaster (1m 6 1/2f) this month off a mark of 93.

Trainer says

He will go to King George V Handicap and he won twice on the bounce and was very impressive at York. He ran well in defeat at Doncaster a couple of weeks ago and is going to step back from a mile six to a mile and a half. He deserves his chance.

Form profile

Scored by two and a quarter lengths from Hurstwood on his only start at Carlisle (5f) at the end of May.

Trainer says

He is likely to be one of our two runners in Norfolk Stakes on Thursday. He was impressive first time out at Carlisle and we are not really sure what he beat on the day, but it was heavy ground. We are not sure what ground we will have at Ascot but there has been quite a lot of rain about and it could be soft. He is a really good-looking horse and one we have liked a lot. It will be a tough ask going to Ascot on the back of a Carlisle maiden win, but he is well regarded at home.

Form profile

Very solid efforts when runner-up in two starts. Beaten three quarters of a length by Ventura Rebel in a maiden at Thirsk (5f) in April and a length and a quarter by Flippa The Strippa in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown (5f) in May.

Trainer says

She will run in the Albany – she finished second in the National Stakes at Sandown and we knew before then that this filly wanted six furlongs but there were only six runners and it was a good chance to get some black type. We got the black type and it looked like she was screaming out for six furlongs. She has come out of Sandown really well and she is still a maiden, but she has very good form in both her starts and I think she has a good chance.

Form profile

Winner of one of his three starts. Off the mark with a seven-length win from Oso Rapido in a novice at Ripon (6f) in May and subsequently third, beaten two and a quarter lengths, to Pinatubo in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom (6f) later that month.

Trainer says

He just went a bit Kamikaze at Epsom and Franny (Norton) was the first to admit that the horse just got the better of him down the hill at Epsom and just took off. He went too quick and coming back to five furlongs I am not 100 per cent convinced about that as the horse saw out six furlongs really well at Ripon. I am a little bit hesitant about going back to five, but the owners are keen to go to Ascot.

Form profile

Winner of one of his two starts. Scored by six lengths from Show Me Show in a novice at Pontefract (6f) in May.

Trainer says

He ran a nice race at York first time out in a race that is working out quite well and then he won very easily at Pontefract second time. It was quite a weak race at Pontefract and we didn’t learn a lot, but we just wanted to get a bit more experience into him before Ascot and he runs in the Coventry. It is one of the hardest races of the week to win but he’s done very little wrong in his first two starts and worthy of going there.

Form profile

Winner of one of her 2 starts. Finished runner-up, beaten a length and three quarters, to Daahyeh on her debut at Newmarket (6f) in May and made no mistake seven days later at Chester (6f) when beat The New Marwan five lengths.

Trainer says

She got beaten first time out at Newmarket and we were quite disappointed at the time that she was beaten but the winner had already been through a barrier trial and was a bit more experienced on the day. She then went to Chester second time and was really impressive. Sylvestre thought that the horse of Tom Dascombe’s went a million miles an hour and two furlongs out I thought she was cooked and then she just changed legs and went away again. The horse that tried to take her on for the lead was beaten 25 lengths at the line, so it was a very impressive performance. She has loads of speed and she will probably have an entry in the Albany as well as the Queen Mary, but I think she is more likely to go down the Queen Mary route.

Form profile

Winner of two of her five starts. Finished runner-up, beaten two and a half lengths, to Liberty Beach in the Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley (5f) last Saturday.

Trainer says

She may back up Jm Jackson in the Albany and she finished second in the Hilary Needler on Saturday. She keeps surprising us and improves, and she would be an outsider, but she is a £3,000 purchase and would give the partnership a great day out.