Vaughan sweet on fanatical change
Fanatical is to step up in class at Royal Ascot after impressing connections in landing a six-furlong maiden event at Newbury on Saturday.
Ed Vaughan’s promising juvenile made all to spring a 25-1 surprise on her racecourse debut and has bounced out of that run in great shape.
She will be given two entries, with connections currently favouring a crack at the Albany Stakes rather than the five-furlong Queen Mary.
The trainer told www.efvaughan.com: “She has taken her Newbury race well. I couldn’t have been happier with her performance there.
“She showed a very professional attitude, broke well, travelled very well and had everything off the bridle after three and a half furlongs. Then she quickened to go clear by six lengths before Richard Kingscote eased her down.
“It was a very accomplished debut and while I was slightly surprised at how well she did it, beforehand I’d been expecting her to run very well.
“I will make an entry for her in the Queen Mary and also the Albany with our preference, at this stage, being the latter option.
“We are stepping her up significantly in grade but she should improve a little bit for her debut which would give her a very good chance of running a big race at Ascot.”
Vaughan is looking forward to what could be a big week, with Shadow The Wind to take his chance in the Jersey Stakes after breaking his maiden with victory in a six-furlong event on the same Newbury card.
He said: “The horse probably needs a mile but the stiff seven at Ascot will be much more to his liking than the six he won over at Newbury.
“I was pleased with his last run and felt he needed to win that to prove to me that he’d be competitive in a race such as the Jersey.
“He is fresh and well after his race and while he is not going to improve fitness-wise he should benefit in terms of experience for having that Newbury run under his belt.”
Baron’s Pit completes a three-strong raid on the prestigious meeting, with his target being the Wokingham.
The seven-year-old won the Norfolk Stakes in 2002 and also finished third in the Golden Jubilee a year later when trained by Richard Hannon.
Vaughan said: “As the weights stand, he’s got 9st 2lb. However, a few of those higher in the handicap will most probably drop out so he is likely to go up a little bit.
“Of course, it is very difficult in these big handicaps – you need a young and progressive horse. But on the pick of his best form, I would hope he’d be competitive.”
