Cole family bidding for piece of Royal Ascot history with Duke Of Hazzard

Duke Of Hazzard could carve out a special place in Royal Ascot history next week by becoming the first winner at the prestigious meeting to be trained by two people.

The progressive four-year-old runs in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday for Paul Cole, who has saddled 21 Royal Ascot winners and was leading trainer at the fixture in 1992, and his son Oliver, with the pair among the trainers to pioneer use of the BHA’s new co-licensing system that kicked in with the resumption of racing.

Duke Of Hazzard was third in the 2018 Chesham Stakes and fifth in last year’s Jersey Stakes before his form improved with the application of blinkers, with three wins on the bounce including the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood on his last start in August.

He is set to be joined next week by stablemates Ivatheengine (Wokingham), Highland Chief (Golden Gate) and Valpolicella (Albany), and Oliver Cole said: "Duke Of Hazzard’s in great form and on a racing preparation front we couldn’t be happier with him or what he’s done. He’s had a long time to build up for the race with everything that’s been happening, and we’ve just been ticking him over as he was initially being readied for the Lockinge.

"We’re going to have four or five runners across the week and hopefully we’ll be able to make at least one of them count — they’re not longshots at all and we’re looking forward to getting them there."

Duke Of Hazzard is one of 20 entries for the Queen Anne and the only horse on the first day of the royal meeting to have more than one trainer listed next to their name.

A total of 178 entries have been made for the opening day across the seven races, with star names such as Battaash, Mogul, Frankly Darling and Terebellum featuring.

Battaash: is set to be in action on the opening day of Royal Ascot, bidding to win the King's Stand Stakes for the first timeCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Queen Anne has been pushed back from its usual position as the first race of the meeting as part of a revised programme this year, with the Buckingham Palace Handicap, axed in 2015 to make space for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, returning to the fold.

The 7f contest has been enthusiastically supported, with 66 entries, the most subscribed race of the day by 31 horses, and trainer Kevin Ryan, who landed the race twice before it was cancelled, hopes the BHA and Ascot take notice of the popularity.

Ryan, who has three entries, said: "It’s fantastic to have the race back – I was gutted when we lost it in the first place. There are a lot of horses who don’t properly stay the mile and it's a race that has really been lacking from the programme at Ascot.

"I’m hoping they will be able to see from the number of entries there are for the race that it proves the race is needed to be put back into the programme for the future."

The going at Ascot was described as good, good to firm in places on Wednesday and the racecourse will be providing up-to-the-minute data on ground conditions through the week via an app developed with TurfTrax.

Information including rainfall, wind speed and direction, soil moisture and daily moisture loss will be available to view in real-time alongside GoingStick readings, going maps, rails positions and irrigation in the build-up to and during Royal Ascot.

Chris Stickels: clerk of the course at AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Chris Stickels, clerk of the course, said: "With racing taking place behind closed doors there will be fewer people this year with access to the track and, therefore, the distribution of up-to-the-minute information takes on even greater significance.

"Trainers, owners and everyone watching from home will have the opportunity to monitor track conditions remotely in real time using the new racing hub on the Ascot website."

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