Coronation Stakes preview

Adrian Keatley is aiming to keep his cool as he prepares to saddle his first Royal Ascot runner when Jet Setting tackles the Coronation Stakes on Friday.

The County Kildare handler is set to make quite a debut as Jet Setting leads the market following her head defeat of English Guineas and Oaks winner Minding in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh last month.

Having only won her maiden at Cork in March, Jet Setting has enjoyed a meteoric rise, winning a Leopardstown Guineas trial before bouncing back from a disappointing Newmarket run to land the Irish Classic.

Adding an extra layer of expectation is the fact Jet Setting changed hands for £1.3million earlier this week, but Keatley is trying to maintain his focus ahead of the Fast Company filly's moment of truth.

He said: "She's my first Royal Ascot runner and it is important for me not to get too excited about it all.

"There is obviously a lot more pressure this time. While we were second or third favourite for the Irish Guineas, we were virtually untalked about, but now she is favourite and running for her new owners, who we are very privileged to have, so there is a lot more pressure.

"We think she's probably in better form than before the Irish Guineas."

Jet Setting's Curragh victory came on yielding to soft ground so while the current soft conditions at Ascot are of little concern, Keatley does not believe testing going is a prerequisite for his charge.

"Everybody says she's a mudlark, but I don't think she needs soft ground, she just doesn't want firm ground," he said.

"She'd had an interrupted preparation before the English Guineas. She had an abscess on her foot, which meant she had missed a lot of work, so perhaps it wasn't the ground there."

Jet Setting will be making her debut in the colours of China Horse Club after the Equinegrowthpartners Syndicate decided to offer her at the Goffs London Sale on Monday.

The syndicate snapped up the ex-Richard Hannon-trained filly for just 12,000 guineas last October and have enjoyed a healthy profit on their venture.

Keatley added: "It's a great story for Irish racing. We are dominated by a couple of big names over here in Ireland so it's good for racing to have a filly like her."

While Jet Setting has no worries on the ground front, conditions have been giving Jeremy Noseda a headache ahead of Nemoralia's run.

He told www.jeremynoseda.com "The filly is in such great order. The Coronation Stakes has been the plan since last November.

"If anyone had asked me how I'd wanted to arrive at the race, she is everything I could have wanted and more. Barring this weather, everything is perfect. She is ready.

"Unless there is a deluge and it turns into a quagmire, I feel we've got to give it a go and take our chance.

"I've watched the race at the Breeders' Cup time and time again and visually you can't see her struggling on the ground.

"Fast ground suits her best but she performed well in the Breeders' Cup."

Noseda is also taking heart from the fact Tepin, who also won on that Breeders' Cup card, performed so well in winning the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday, adding: "I've got to take that on board."

Hannon will be represented by Marenko, winner of a Kempton conditions race and the Fred Darling Stakes, which was transferred to Chelmsford due to an unraceable track at Newbury.

Chris Richardson, managing director of owner Cheveley Park Stud, said: "Richard Hannon is very happy with her. She has done well physically and has been working promisingly.

"She is going there fresh, which might be an edge, and hopefully she could finish in the first three."

The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Qemah represents French interests, having booked her ticket for Ascot with a fine third place in the French 1000 Guineas last time.

Harry Herbert, racing manager for owner Al Shaqab, said: "She has been in very good form since that run and we always felt that a faster pace in the Coronation Stakes would suit her better."

The John Gosden-trained Nathra was second in France and she will again clash with Qemah, as will William Haggas' fourth-placed Besharah.

Irish Guineas third Now Or Never tries her luck again, while Aidan O'Brien relies upon Alice Springs, who finished seventh in the French Guineas.