Rakti in top trim for royal meeting
Bullish noises are coming from the Rakti camp as the runaway winner of last month’s Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes heads for Royal Ascot at York.
Michael Jarvis reports that the six-year-old was better than ever after his emphatic five-length victory at Newbury and intends keeping him to a mile in the near future, starting off with the Queen Anne Stakes next Tuesday.
Jarvis told At The Races: “He’s going for the Queen Anne and he’s in good form. In fact, he came out of the Lockinge in better shape than he’s been after any race that he’s run for me. He’s usually a bit sore and stiff but he’s been absolutely fine since Newbury.
“I think we’ll keep him over a mile initially, although what happens later in the year may be different. Certainly we’ll think about the Queen Anne and then the Sussex Stakes, which will take us through the first half of the season.”
The master of Kremlin House has a number of other possibles for the Royal meeting, including Iffraaj, favourite with some firms for the Wokingham.
Despite having Group One entries, the lightly-raced colt will stay in handicap company for the time being and has made a good start after a year off through injury.
After opening his account at Kempton, Iffraaj took the Victoria Cup at Lingfield, but the six-furlong event on Saturday week has been his big target.
Jarvis added: “Iffraaj has jumped up a lot in the handicap but has run his two race nicely and they’ve worked out pretty well.
“If he is going to develop into a Group performer he has got to go and win the Wokingham off 101. He is a big horse, but sprained a suspensory ligament in his first race as a three-year-old.
“That is quite a serious injury and he had to have the rest of that year off. We have taken him slowly with only two races, with Royal Ascot in mind.”
