Kevin Ryan trained Ain't Nobody © Photo Healy Racing
Royal Ascot scorer Ain’t Nobody has the chance to kickstart a huge July Festival at Newmarket for Kevin Ryan and jockey Tom Eaves when he steps up in trip for the July Stakes on Thursday.
The duo will link up with red-hot July Cup favourite Inisherin on Saturday, but before that their Windsor Castle hero will bid to remain unbeaten as he makes the move up to Group Two company.
The Sands Of Mali colt powered home to hunt down US raider Gabaldon at Ascot and his handler anticipates few problems as he takes on the challenge of a new distance and a classy set of rivals.
“He hit the line strong at Ascot and I don’t think the trip will be a problem,” said Ryan.
“He’s won on good to soft at Carlisle and then different ground at Ascot, but he did it well and we’re very happy with him.
“He’s two from two and has done nothing wrong and we’re very happy with him.”
Big-spending owners Wathnan Racing enjoyed plenty of success with their two-year-olds at Royal Ascot, but Electrolyte was one who narrowly missed out, denied by a nose in the Coventry Stakes.
This race has been earmarked as the obvious spot for Archie Watson’s youngster to gain compensation ever since, with connections linking up with great success in this sphere at Sandown recently.
“He obviously ran very well at Ascot in the Coventry and was impressive first time out before that at Ayr,” said Richard Brown, Wathnan’s racing adviser.
“We said after Ascot this would be the obvious place for him and that has remained the case. Archie has been very happy with him and we’re looking forward to seeing him run again.”
It was Wathnan’s Shareholder who proved a thorn in Whistlejacket’s side in the Norfolk Stakes, with the regally-bred Aidan O’Brien colt beaten just over a length in the five-furlong Group Two having led home the group who raced stands side at Ascot.
The form of that contest was given a timely boost by Aesterius, who was a taking winner of the Dragon Stakes last Friday, and Whistlejacket’s jockey Ryan Moore is backing his mount to get involved on his return to six furlongs.
He told Betfair: “This race cut up a bit at the overnight stage, losing the Coventry first and third, but that formline is still represented by the runner-up Electrolyte and it still looks a strong race.
“I suppose you could say we were a little disappointed that Whistlejacket didn’t win the Norfolk, but maybe things didn’t fully work to his advantage there, and it certainly wasn’t a bad run at all.
“We like to think he is better than he showed there, he handles soft ground well if required, and the return to six furlongs hopefully won’t be an issue. It’s a good race, but he is a good colt.”
Of those not in action at the Royal meeting, Charlie Appleby’s Aomori City created a taking impression when making a winning start at Nottingham last month.
A €260,000 purchase as a yearling, the son of Oasis Dream won with more in hand than the half-length winning margin would suggest and connections immediately pitch the colt into deeper waters for this second start.
“It’s a small but punchy race. Aomori City won first time out and has definitely come forward for that run,” Appleby told www.godolphin.com.
“We were keen to come for this race afterwards and I can’t give any negatives on what he has done to date, both on the track and at home.”
Michael Bell’s Rajeko showed ability when always doing enough at Windsor on debut, with Eve Johnson Houghton’s Billboard Star completing the sextet heading to post having opened his account over course and distance 14 days ago.
