Skip to content

Varian: Ajman Princess could be busy

Arab Dawn ridden by jockey Richard Hughes (left) comes home to win the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes during day four of the 2015 Royal Ascot Meeting at Ascot Ra
Image: Ajman Princess (right)

Ajman Princess could take in both the Prix de l'Opera and the Qipco British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes at Ascot.

With an extra week between the two Group One races, trainer Roger Varian is considering a tilt at both prizes with the talented four-year-old.

The daughter of Teofilo gained the most significant success of her career on Sunday when striking at the top level for the first time in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.

He said: "Se is a very good filly who has been a bit unlucky through the course of the year, racing on testing ground.

"We will speak to the owner and see what he says, but she has come out of the race perfectly well.

"There is no obvious race until the Opera, but she might be able to run in the Opera and at Ascot this time round as there is the extra week between them.

"There is also the race at the Breeders' Cup if the ground here goes to soft. She is a Group One winner now and has lots of exciting options."

Latest Racing Stories

Reflecting on her victory in France, the Newmarket handler believes a change to more pressing tactics played a crucial part.

He said: "We have probably not ridden her to get the best of her abilities. We changed things up and switched her tactics. The ground dried up and she did what we thought she was capable of.

"I spoke to the owner and he was keen to let her roll from the front provided there was not too many trying to contest the early pace.

"We knew that she stayed a mile and a half as she was second in last year's Ribblesdale and an impressive winner of the Daisy Warwick earlier this year, so dropping back to 10 furlongs it made sense to stretch the field."

Around Sky