Royal Ascot regular Ward back with strong team

As far as Wesley Ward is concerned, Royal Ascot absence has definitely made the heart grow fonder and the popular American trainer plans to be back this year after being absent from the showpiece meeting 12 months ago.

Ward has been a regular force at the Royal fixture since his headline breakthrough double in 2009, but a late setback to Outfielder – who bids for the Commonwealth Cup this year – saw him without a runner for the first time in well over a decade last June.

However, he is relishing returning with a seven-strong squad seeking what would be a 13th victory, headed by the strapping son of Speightstown, who will sport the colours of Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian and also counts both Ward and former US baseball star Jayson Werth among his ownership.

Ward told the Press Association: “I sure missed it (last year). Coming to Royal Ascot has been a life-changing experience with all the success I have had and it’s really opened up so many doors not only for me but for my family.

“Outfielder’s last breeze on the grass was at Keeneland and he’s training super and he’s coming over for the Commonwealth.

“I’ll have seven in total and we’re getting serious. I’m all excited and I’m ready. I’ve got five two-year-olds and then alongside Outfielder there is a really nice talented three-year-old sprinter called Bacio, who has won three from four so far.”

Outfielder may have missed out last year, but he was belatedly seen in action in Europe where he attempted to give Ward a fourth win in the Prix Morny at Deauville, finishing a close-up fourth as Venetian Sun edged out recent Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Gstaad in what has proved to be a red-hot renewal.

“He’s undefeated sprinting in America with his only loss being going a mile at the Breeders’ Cup,” continued Ward, who will saddle his string at the National Stud in Newmarket leading up to the meeting.

“Not taking anything away from Venetian Sun as when I look at the odds for the Commonwealth Cup they are betting her with both hands right now, but this guy is a big, imposing, huge horse and ran valiantly in the Prix Morny off just one run.

“He’s a big, massive monster and this is his year. I’m really looking forward to it and every month that goes by he’s growing into that massive frame he has and every race he runs he’s getting faster.

“Six furlongs should be made for this horse on a straight track with his big stride. He’s had an experience of running on a straight track in the Morny where it all was new to him and he is really going to be able to use that experience now. I’m excited about this guy.”

Royal Ascot has provided many moments to savour for Ward since he became the first American to win at the meeting with Strike The Tiger, but it has been five years since a Ward runner has carried the stars and stripes aloft on the podium.

However, with the international competition at an all-time high, the thirst for success remains.

Ward continued: “It’s so competitive at Ascot these days and I don’t want to come over any more unless I have one or two really good chances and this year I really think we do.

“I’m really excited to come back with my children and I’ve got white hair and I’m a grandfather now, so it would mean a lot to come back and have another winner – the days are long, but the years are flying by and now some of my winners are siring some of my hopefuls!”

One of those former stars Ward references is Golden Pal who was beaten a neck in the Norfolk Stakes in 2020 before it all went wrong on his return to the meeting as favourite for the King’s Stand Stakes two year’s later.

His name is involved again, this time as the sire of easy Woodbine scorer and possible Norfolk Stakes candidate Ez Tina.

The star of the Ward’s quintet for the juvenile events could prove the exciting Churchill Downs winner Ruiva, who is slated to try to provide the 58-year-old with a fifth victory in the Queen Mary Stakes and also give crack US rider Juan Hernandez a first real taste of Royal Ascot.

“If I lined all my two-year-olds up here in a race in America then the favourite would be a filly called Ruiva,” assessed Ward.

“She ran the best race of any two-year-old in America so far numbers-wise and she just blitzed them over there just prior to the Kentucky Derby.

“She will have to translate that form from dirt to turf, but she is by Munnings who I have had a lot of success with on the grass. She’s an extremely, talented fast filly.

“Bob Baffert’s main jockey Juan Hernandez has won on both Bacio and Ruiva and he’s going to come over.”

He went on: “I’m also bringing EZ Tina, who is a Golden Pal filly who we took up to Canada and she ran a similar race numbers-wise to win going away. She’s a big filly who we paid $600,000 for which is a lot of money for one by a first-season sire, but she validated her purchase price.

“Being by Golden Pal and winning on Polytrack, she should relish the grass.

“I’ll split those two up and run one against the colts in the Norfolk and the other in the Queen Mary and it looks like EZ Tina will be the one to take on the colts.”