Sprint switch considered for Lake Forest at Ascot

Lake Forest could head straight to Royal Ascot after his impressive winning return at Haydock, with the door left open for an exciting switch to sprinting at the summer showpiece.

Making his first start since being gelded, William Haggas’ five-year-old showed his class when obliging favouritism when romping to a five-and-a-half-length victory in the Listed Spring Trophy.

Owned by Brighton and Hove Albion chief Tony Bloom alongside Ian McAleavy, connections had got one eye on next running at Epsom on Derby day, but given the proximity of that meeting to the Royal meeting he could now head straight to Berkshire for racing’s flagship event.

“We were thinking of running in the seven-furlong race that has been transferred to Epsom but then it is just over two weeks until Royal Ascot, so we could give that a miss and keep him fresh for Ascot,” explained Bloom’s racing manager Sean Graham.

“He has two entries in Ascot, the Queen Anne on the Tuesday, and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the Saturday and we’re slightly undecided on where we go at this stage. It will be William’s decision nearer the time.”

Lake Forest was beaten just shy of three lengths in fifth in the Queen Anne Stakes last year and that would be an obvious option once again.

However, the urge to scratch the itch back in trip could prove tempting with a horse whose finest hour came when picking up a swelling bounty in the Golden Eagle back in late 2014.

Graham said: “”The stiff mile at Ascot is at the very top-end of his stamina and ideally he’s a six-and-a-half, seven furlong horse. It’ll come down to a week before the race and the vibes of what is going to run where.

“The Queen Anne normally only gets around 10 runners and our fellow enjoys cover. You have seen in the Queen Anne over the years you get one horse bombs out and makes the running and there’s gaps all over the place.

“He probably saw too much daylight last year and it always seems a very difficult race to ride. It’s different to the sprint races where you can sit last and come from behind and the likes of Jamie Spencer and Richard Hughes would do it time and time again in those races there.

“Over a mile if you try to sit too far back you sometimes have too much ground to make up.

Also Royal Ascot bound for the same team is the speedy Sky Majesty, who has options in both the King Charles III Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes and whose pathway could become clearer after heading to Haydock for the Temple Stakes on May 23.

Meanwhile, it could be a trip to France next for Jockey Club Stakes winner Santorini Star after her winning return at Newmarket.

Connections are still weighing up the merit of staying at a mile and a half and supplementing for what could be a red-hot Coolmore Coronation Cup at Epsom, but she also holds the option of the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at the scene of her fine Prix de Royallieu second, ParisLongchamp, on May 21.

Graham added: “We’ve got two options and we either supplement for the Coronation Cup or she’s in at ParisLongchamp at the end of this month.

“We want to win a Group One with her – she’s been placed in a Group One, but now we want to win one.

“We’ll wait and see how the ParisLongchamp race looks and that may be an easier option than the Coronation Cup. Both are Group One races and no Group One race is easy but the one in France could take slightly less winning.

“I say that just because with Coolmore sponsoring the Coronation Cup they could have a strong hand and probably four or five runners and Calandagan will be there as well.

“William will make the final decision on it though.”

He went on: “She’s a very good filly and she seems stronger this year. She won over a mile and a half at Newmarket and while we know she stays further, you never know, a mile and a half or one-mile-five could end up being her ideal trip.

“The horse she beat at Newmarket had already had a run and we were making our debut, so you would like to think there would be a few pounds of improvement on that alone.”