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- Chelmsford City Racecourse to Host Wesley Ward for Royal Ascot
Chelmsford City Racecourse to Host Wesley Ward for Royal Ascot
Chelmsford City Racecourse is delighted to be hosting Wesley Ward and his team of horses in the build-up to Royal Ascot 2022, including the colt that the trainer ominously describes as “the best I’ve ever had”.
That bold call is for the sensational Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Golden Pal, who has won his last three starts and was runner-up in the Norfolk Stakes in 2020. He is currently favourite for next Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes.
Already the trainer of 12 Royal Ascot winners, Ward has warned that he feels he is bringing his strongest team ever for this extra special Royal Meeting in Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year. The quintet includes Campanelle, who is already a dual Royal Ascot winner, but no horse is lighting up the trainer’s mornings more than Golden Pal.
Ward continued: “I’m so excited for this horse I can’t even tell you. He’s the best I’ve ever brought to Ascot in all these years, and I’ve brought some good ones, but this guy is the fastest of the fast.
“He’s really matured from last year to this year. Mentally and physically he’s gotten bigger and stronger, as any horse would from three to four, but he’s just a pure athlete and this is his year.”
Also shipping in to Chelmsford for Ward is Love Reigns, who runs in the Queen Mary Stakes, Seismic Spirit (Windsor Castle Stakes) and Ruthin (Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes). It was confirmed on Monday that Irad Ortiz will ride all five horses at Ascot.
“Irad is riding every one,” said Ward. “Frankie [Dettori] is my man and I love him, but Irad is swinging right now in the States – he’s the hottest rider in America. He’s put a lot of work in for me early in the mornings and he’s so excited to get over to Ascot.”
The Ward team is set to arrive at Chelmsford City late on Wednesday.
“I figured that after a long flight they can jump right off and straight into bed as Stansted to Chelmsford is only a few miles away, whereas Newmarket means a little longer on the lorry,” said the trainer.
“They’ll have an easy day on Thursday and [then] Friday, Saturday, Sunday they’ll have a couple of gallops there at Chelmsford and then we can move into Ascot and be in good shape.”
Neil Graham, Chelmsford City’s Director of Racing, said, “We are delighted to be welcoming Wesley, and his staff and horses as they make their final preparations for Royal Ascot. One of the greatest aspects of the Royal Meeting is its draw for runners from around the world, and it is an honour to be playing a small part in hosting such a strong American contingent at our first-class facilities here in Chelmsford City.”
“I went to Chelmsford for two reasons,” said Haggas. “What I wanted to do was get him away and on a safe surface and have a little trip in horse box, that was my intention. It wasn’t an exercise to find out how good he was, it was just to get him away from home and that all worked nicely. Chelmsford is very convenient for that.”
