Animal Kingdom ready and waiting

The waiting is nearly over for connections of Animal Kingdom, with the superstar American raider all set to follow the lead of Frankel and dazzle in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Last year, Frankel was the astonishingly short 1/10 favourite for the opening race of the five-day meeting and while Animal Kingdom will be nothing like that price, he is expected to get the Royal jamboree off to the perfect start for punters and purists alike.

Victorious in the Kentucky Derby two years ago and winner of the world's richest race, the Dubai World Cup, in March, the Graham Motion-trained Animal Kingdom will be the first winner of the Churchill Downs showpiece to run at this fixture since the 1930s.

Motion, who has expressed his view that Animal Kingdom is "probably a short price for what we are doing", is relishing the challenge on a route planned by Team Valor chief Barry Irwin and Australian John Messara.

The latter's Arrowfield Stud bought into the colt following his close second to another crack American horse, Wise Dan, at the Breeders' Cup in November.

Cambridge-born, American-based Motion said: "We're not ducking anybody and it's admirable that John and Barry want to do this. It's been a great experience and for me it's a relief that all his work is now behind him. I worry more than I should.

"I'll never train another one like him. The horse has had a chequered career because of his injuries so it is all the more remarkable how he has kept his form.

"I was concerned the day we worked him at Ascot recently because there had been quite a bit of rain and it was very soft by our standards but he seemed to handle it very well.

"Barry and I had talked before about coming to Royal Ascot but it wasn't until the horse won the Dubai World Cup that we really decided to come here.

"What he did in winning the Kentucky Derby was pretty extraordinary - he had never run on the dirt before and he ran with six weeks between races.

"Coming back in the Breeders' Cup Mile without a prep race is not usually done in America and we almost pulled it off.

"For me personally, I wanted to have an opportunity to prove the Kentucky Derby wasn't a fluke. I knew this horse was a very special horse and I'm just so glad we got the chance to prove it in the Breeders' Cup and then on the international stage in the Dubai World Cup.

"Royal Ascot is a bonus for me because I thought Dubai was his last race. I feel very fortunate that these guys have taken on this very sporting challenge at Royal Ascot.

"It was the end of a long-term plan to get there. In America, people have been sceptical about the horse because he is so lightly raced but he has missed a lot with injuries.

"In the States we have a lot of opportunities for easy pickings so it's more of a sporting challenge to come here. It would be a shot in the arm for America if he was to win at Royal Ascot.

"There has been quite a lot of interest at home and the New York Times is coming over to cover the race, which is unusual.

"It's tremendous to be running in a race that Frankel won last year and Sir Henry Cecil was one of the people I admired the most when growing up in Newmarket so it's quite emotional."

Irwin said: "Animal Kingdom is extremely versatile, he's 16.2 hands and he's powerful. To be top-class like him on synthetics, dirt and turf - well, that just doesn't happen. But I think that if these horses have a good mind and constitution then they can adapt.

"I was apprehensive when I saw the straight mile at Ascot but I feel more comfortable after seeing him work at the course and in Lambourn."

Messara, whose son Paul had a very successful time with Ortensia in Britain last year, said: "We have announced his fee for Australia and mares have been booked for the southern hemisphere season. The present intention is to retire him after this race. But I never say never about these things. We've also got partners in the horse.

"Winning at Royal Ascot is one of those bucket list issues for me to do and I feel very privileged to be here with the favourite for the first race of the first day. My son brought a horse to race here before and I'm pleased to be back."