Horse In Profile: Whistlejacket

The recent Classic Trials in Britain and Ireland have turned into the 'Aidan O'Brien show' as the Ballydoyle supremo has been mopping up prizes at Chester, Lingfield, Leopardstown and York.

He's set to have another top three-year-old in action this coming weekend, though Classic ambitions don't appear on the horizon for star sprinter Whistlejacket.

Instead, the No Nay Never colt may offer some further clarity on a proposed Royal Ascot target for next month.

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Climbing the ranks at two

Whistlejacket did most of his running, and all of his winning, as a two-year-old with some give underfoot.

His wins at the Curragh, Newmarket and Deauville all came with 'soft' in the going description, though he also ran a cracking second in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes on good-to-firm going in August.

He was beaten on his first start, picked off late by Joseph O'Brien's Cowardofthecounty over 6f at the Curragh, before taking a quick rise into Listed company and demolishing his rivals in the Listed GAIN First Flier Stakes at the Kildare layout in May.

That was enough to see him going off odds-on for the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot where he was no better than fourth as Shareholder collected the Group 2 dividends over 5f.

Whistlejacket went to Newmarket and landed his own Group 2 win over 6f in the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes with a strong front-running effort.

Second behind Babouche in his maiden Group 1 in Ireland, France was the destination for his top level breakthrough in the Prix Morny, which was a very strong edition and saw him gaining revenge on Shareholder.

Stuck in the Shadow at HQ

The Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket was next but 4/5 favourite Whistlejacket had no answer to Charlie Appleby's Shadow Of Light as he ran out a four-length winner under William Buick in that 6f Group 1 contest.

With that Godolphin inmate landing the Dewhurst on his next start and going so close in the Guineas on his recent comeback, that hardly constitutes a lamentable setback on reflection.

Whistlejacket, meanwhile, signed off his season running fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint back over 5f on rattling fast ground at Del Mar in November, surrounded by top tier sprinters as Magnum Force won for Ger Lyons.

Committed to another season

The Ballydoyle colt showed he has wintered well by returning at Navan (6f, soft) in April where he won the Listed Committed Stakes despite conceding a penalty.

He did that despite racing keenly early on and connections will be pleased as he was a tad one-dimensional in his running style last season, seeking to dominate from the get-go. He knuckled down well at Navan and showed his determination to get the win.

We could see him this weekend in England or Ireland. The Carnarvon Stakes (Newbury) and the Lacken Stakes (Naas) present 6f options.

Whistlejacket will aim for Royal Ascot redemption in June, more than likely, with three entries still open to him, all Group 1s.

The King Charles III Stake (5f), the Commonwealth Cup (6f) and the St James's Palace Stakes (1m) are all possibles, with the middle contest against his three-year-old peers in a sprint seemingly the most attractive option.