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Shea Shea, Aussie sprinters ready for Royal Ascot
"He's happy, his coat is good, he's eating well and his work has been exceptional. I'm hoping he is in good form. "His best form has been on fast ground though I'm told he has won on soft. Dubai was very fast and firm and he liked that. "Christophe Soumillon has a good feel for the horse and he will ride. "It would be great to have the win on the CV, but if you look at his form, including in South Africa, he's either won or come nowhere. There's no gray area in between so we hope it's another win at Ascot. "He has always looked like he would be competitive on a world stage, but it's been a hell of a long road getting here," de Kock continued. "It is difficult for us to compete because of quarantine regulations -- it is not a level playing field regarding South African participation. "It's not a pipe-dream. He has run some very quick times. I believe he's the real deal and he has produced world-class form. "I always knew he was good but I think his performance on World Cup night in Dubai was special. He stepped up again there. "Winning would not just be important to us but it would help the South African horse internationally. Everyone enjoys watching our horses run abroad especially at a meeting with this sort of profile -- there is a lot of interest. "There is the weight and the pressure of a nation on him. We will be doing our best and he will be doing his best -- if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. "I have a few Royal Ascot runners and this is one meeting any trainer would like to have a winner at. "I've left him in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Saturday) just in case something went wrong before the King's Stand -- you never know in this game -- but he is to go for the July Cup following Royal Ascot. "I think the July Cup (at Newmarket July 13) will suit him. He is a winner of a Group 1 over six furlong, so I don't think there is an issue with the trip. Soft Falling Rain is also being aimed at that race after needing more time. "I would say that Shea Shea is right there with JJ the Jet Plane, who was also an exceptional sprinter. It would be hard to choose between the two in terms of ability." Among his King's Stand rivals is Australian challenger Shamexpress, who captured the six-furlong Newmarket Handicap at Flemington in his latest. "He took the trip really well, which is obviously the big thing," trainer Danny O'Brien said. "It is a long time traveling but he seemed to handle it. "Importantly, he is enjoying Newmarket. In the week he has been here, he has settled particularly well into his surroundings. He is a happy colt and seems to be very relaxed. All good so far. "He has not done any fast work yet -- he will have one gallop tomorrow (Friday). He left Australia very fit, so the gallop should put him spot on for Tuesday. "We had a barrier trial at Flemington and the horse who finished second then, Linton, went on to win a Group 1 sprint, the Stradbroke Handicap, so Shamexpress's form leaving Australia was very good. "He is a horse I have always had a good opinion of but it was his win in the Newmarket Handicap which sealed the trip to Royal Ascot. The Newmarket is our biggest Group 1 sprint and has been a strong pointer to past Australian success at Royal Ascot. It was a pretty easy decision to take after that." O'Brien previously sent out Star Witness, who ran second to Prohibit in the 2011 King's Stand. "Star Witness was the champion two-year-old and three-year-old -- a very precocious horse," the trainer said. "This guy is getting there a bit later in his career but is equal to him now if not better. "I think Shamexpress is coming here at the right time of his career. He is nowhere near as seasoned as some of the Australian horses who have run at Royal Ascot such as Takeover Target and Black Caviar because he is only a three-year-old. "He's a horse in a really good space and I think he is still improving, on an upward spiral. I expect him to show that on Tuesday and his next few runs should be the best of his career. "We were close enough when running second (with Star Witness) to know that we had got most of the preparation right. We are sticking to a similar formula and hoping we can go one better. "He is going for the July Cup at Newmarket as well and therefore we thought one run at Ascot would be what he needs. "The reason we have chosen the King's Stand Stakes over the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot is because he has not run for three months and will be a bit fresh. It is also a stiff five furlongs which will be ideal for him at this stage. "Hopefully, by the time of the July Cup, he will be looking for six furlongs. There has never been an Australian horse win the July Cup, but they have run very well. "The track at Ascot is a bit different for us," O'Brien added. "Most of our tracks are very flat. But this horse is beautifully-actioned and I don't think the track will be a problem. "Shamexpress ran behind Black Caviar in the Lightning Stakes before the Newmarket Handicap and was ridden quite aggressively that day -- sitting right up on the speed with her -- and he did not run well with that pattern. "So in the Newmarket, he was ridden differently -- quite cold and smothered up -- and he finished really well. Craig (Newitt) got it right that day and he will be doing the job again on Tuesday. "It would be fantastic to win at Royal Ascot. We were second with Star Witness and it is a great week of racing. Being that close and not winning has left me with the desire to come back here and succeed. "Shamexpress is a very adaptable, but most of our races are run on good to firm going, and if that is the case I would be very happy." Sea Siren is another Australian sprinter, but she is being aimed at the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot, June 22. The Fastnet Rock mare is trained by John O'Shea, whose assistant Bryce Heys has travelled over with her. "We have been here a week," Heys said. "It was a long time traveling with Sea Siren. She had to travel a bit in Australia -- she flew from Brisbane to Sydney and Sydney to Melbourne before the flight to England. "There is no doubt that took its toll but we have been very light on her since. We got her into the pool yesterday and I suspect she is back to where we want her to be. "Royal Ascot's six furlongs is definitely testing and she is going to have to adapt to that. Hopefully, she will be ridden with some cover to utilize her turn of foot. "Her recent form has not been ideal as regards to coming to Royal Ascot. She had a long time off after Hong Kong last year and it has taken a bit to get her back. She is probably not far off where she was winning Group 1s last year. "She got her toe out this morning (on the Newmarket gallops) and she will have a couple of pieces of work before the race. "It is a daunting task at Royal Ascot but we have Ryan Moore in the saddle and he will ride her for the first time on Tuesday morning. "We want to be drawn around the horses with the best chance in the race and she likes the ground fast. "She is a delight to deal with, very laidback with a good constitution as regards her appetite and the work she can take. Her coat has come out again and her appetite is outstanding -- she has not left an oat for three days now." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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