Fame And Glory will attempt to emulate his former Ballydoyle stablemate Yeats when he bids for a repeat victory in the $542,500 Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot June 21.
The Royal Ascot meet will be televised daily on TVG from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT.
The 6-year-old horse by Montjeu rolled to an impressive three-length victory in this race last year, and on paper, appears to be a standout. Fame And Glory has made one start so far this season, winning the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on May 20. Jamie Spencer will be in the saddle for trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Fame And Glory does appear to have some tough competition in the form of the Godolphin entry of Opinion Poll and Colour Vision. Opinion Poll, a 6-year-old horse by Halling, finished second in this race last year, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths. Opinion Poll has won two of his three starts this year, most recently taking the Betfair Henry II Stakes (Eng-III) May 31. Mickael Barzalona will ride.
Frankie Dettori will partner the other half of the entry, Colour Vision, for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. The 4-year-old gelding was transferred to Godolphin from trainer Mark Johnston at the end of the season. So far this year, Colour Vision has made one start, capturing the Sagaro Stakes (Eng-III) by 1 1/2 lengths over Red Cadeaux.
Johnston will be represented in the Gold Cup by Gulf of Naples. The 4-year-old colt by Dubawi has raced mainly in the handicap ranks, but has been the model of consistency, winning four of nine starts. The gray colt has been out of the money only twice in his career. Silvestre de Sousa will ride.
John Oxx’s Saddler's Rock is a horse that shouldn’t be overlooked. The 4-year-old colt by Sadler's Wells defeated Opinion Poll by four lengths last fall in the Stobart Doncaster Cup (Eng-II). In his only start this season, Saddler’s Rock finished second in the listed Saval Beg Stakes. Johnny Murtagh will ride.
$542,500 Ascot Gold Cup (gr. I, race 3, 10:45 a.m. EDT), 20 furlongs (turf).
PP, Horse, Wgt., Jockey, Trainer
1. Fame And Glory (GB), 128, J.P. Spencer, A.P. O’Brien
2. Bridge of Gold (KY), 128, R. Moore, M. Magnusson
3. Opinion Poll (Ire), 128, M. Barzalona, M. al Zarooni
4. Saddler’s Rock (Ire), 126, J. Murtagh, J. Oxx
5. Colour Vision (Fr), 126, L. Dettori, S. bin Suroor
6. Gulf of Naples (Ire), 126, S. de Sousa, M. Johnston
7. Askar Tau (Fr), 128, G. Baker, M. Tregoning
8. Caucus (GB), 128, W. Buick, J. Gosden
9. Nehaam (GB), 128, P. Hanagan, J. Gosden
