Chrome pleases in Ascot spin American ace California Chrome satisfied connections in a workout at Ascot on Thursday morning - but Frankie Dettori will not ride the colt at the Royal meeting. Last season's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, trained by Art Sherman, was put through his paces over seven furlongs in the hands of Dettori ahead of the Prince of Wales's Stakes on June 17. California Chrome has been in the care of Newmarket handler Rae Guest since he finished second in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March. But with Dettori set to ride John Gosden's Western Hymn at the Royal meeting, the four-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit requires a jockey. Art Sherman's son and assistant, Alan, said: "At this moment it doesn't look like Frankie Dettori will ride him. "I don't think Victor (Espinoza, California Chrome's regular jockey in America) will be coming over but we've got a few European options." Dettori said: "At this stage, Western Hymn is running and I will be riding him. "Of course I regard him as a threat (to Western Hymn), you only have to look at his CV. He's a great horse and we know that he's won on turf so he's going to be a big player." Alan Sherman accepts California Chrome is not yet at peak condition. He said: "We brought him (to Ascot) just to make sure he handles a grass track and the turn, which it looked like he did. "He's a little bit leaner than he was in Dubai but that race took a lot out of him. "Rae Guest has done a great job in putting the weight back on. Although he's not quite where he was, he's looking good. "He will try his hardest and if he can't win, it won't be from a lack of trying. "He will go back to Newmarket now where he will just gallop and he will be given one more breeze next week." Dettori feels California Chrome will be an entirely different proposition in two weeks' time at Royal Ascot. He said: "The whole idea (of galloping at Ascot) is he's turned left all his life and he wanted me to go round the turn at speed. "He was a bit surprised going into the turn, but once I got him onto his right lead he learned very quickly. "He's a notoriously lazy horse working but come race day, he will be a completely different horse. "He handled that really well and fast ground is key."
