Grandera to face ten in Wales's Stakes
Monday, 16 June 2003 14:52Grandera will face 10 rivals when the Godolphin horse bids to win the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday for the second year in a row. However, Frankie Dettori, his jockey 12 months ago, has opted to ride the Dubai team's Moon Ballad instead leaving Jamie Spencer to partner Grandera.
Moon Ballad will be having his first outing since running away with the Dubai World Cup in March and has recently been reported to be working well on the Newmarket gallops. Marcus Tregoning has decided to run his stable star Nayef, third behind Moon Ballad at Nad Al Sheba, in the 10-furlong Group One contest rather than the Hardwicke Stakes on Saturday.
Tregoning also runs Ekraar, for Nayef's owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, in the race. Retained jockey Richard Hills rides Nayef with Willie Supple on Ekraar. In a fascinating event Luca Cumani saddles Japan Cup and Prix d'Ispahan victor Falbrav, who will be ridden by Italian jockey Mirco Demuro.
Rakti, who like Falbrav was trained in Italy last year, runs for Michael Jarvis and will be ridden by Philip Robinson, who was on board when the colt won a Roman Group One contest last month. Nassau Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks winner Islington reappears in the £350,000 feature.
French ace Olivier Peslier has been booked to ride John Dunlop's Olden Times. German challenger Paolini will also line up and outsiders Chancellor and the Brian Meehan-trained Kaieteur complete the line-up. However, the field could be reduced to 10 as connections of Chancellor have warned that the Barry Hills-trained five-year-old will only run if there is sufficient rain.
Filed by Brendan Cole
