Weld at the double
Dermot Weld’s Elusive Double will carry top weight of 9st 7lbs when he makes his handicap debut in tomorrow’s Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot at York.
Weld has kept the colt in top company during his short career having tried him at Group One level when sixth in the National Stakes at the Curragh last September.
The three-year-old made his seasonal reappearance in the Tetrarch Stakes on heavy ground back at the Curragh in May, where he finished third to Indesatchel.
A field of 22 have been declared for the mile handicap, with two of the early ante-post market leaders both in the line-up.
Notability, trained by Michael Jarvis, and Sir Michael Stoute’s Mostarshar, who finished first and second in a valuable race at the Chester May meeting, have both stood their ground.
The former was far from disgraced when a short-head second in the Silver Bowl at Haydock and both look to be leading fancies, along with Walkonthewildside and Postgraduate, who both won their latest starts well.
Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Prize Fighter has finished third on both his outings this term and the trainer told his website, www.peterchapplehyam.com: “He was jumping out of his skin on Monday and seems absolutely fine.
“He hasn’t had a hard season to date and so we thought we’d give the Britannia a go.”
