'There's no question she's got the speed' - 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet given Royal Ascot target

Cachet, the surprise winner of last year's 1,000 Guineas, will drop in trip when she lines up in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.

The four-year-old was sent off a 16-1 chance for Newmarket glory last year but made all of the running and clung on heroically to win by a neck to give her burgeoning trainer George Boughey a first Classic success.

She was denied by just a head in the French equivalent a fortnight later before finishing fifth to Inspiral in the Coronation Stakes, both of which came over a mile, but connections have refocused their sights for this year's royal meeting.

"She had a sinus infection after Ascot and was really quite poorly," Harry Herbert, racing manager to owners Highclere, said. "After she got sick we decided we would give her the chance to come back full throttle so long as she was pleasing George.

"We’ve always wanted to try her over shorter as a mile looks her absolute limit. She loved Newmarket and just held on, and she was probably unlucky not to win the French Guineas, whereas she was exposed at the stiff mile in the Coronation.

"She has always shown so much speed. She’s by Aclaim and has plenty of pace in her pedigree and we just felt maybe a stiff six furlongs at Ascot would be a really interesting play – and the July Cup if it happened to go well. It’s not easy to find Group 1 races over seven furlongs so we thought it would be an interesting spot."

Cachet was no match for Inspiral at last year's royal meetingCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The filly came through a recent workout in glittering form and could return to action in a 7f Listed race at Musselburgh on June 3. While a jockey has yet to be confirmed for that assignment, connections are keen to retain the services of James Doyle wherever possible.

Herbert said: "She’s taken time to come to herself with the cold spring, but she looks fantastic and has really started to explode in a good way. I asked George if he was happy after she worked with a very fast older horse last week and he said there’s no question she’s got the speed.

"She’s done very well physically and has a great presence about her. She’s strengthened across her shoulder and back and if I stood her in front of you she’d knock your socks off."

Cachet, whose last run over six furlongs saw her finish third in the Listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket in June 2021, is a best-priced 33-1 for the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes and will head an exciting team for Highclere in Berkshire next month, with the potential for further runners to be unearthed this week.

Herbert said: "Soprano was very impressive on her debut at Newmarket and goes for the Albany. Believing won a Group 3 at Chantilly last week and there’s still time to consider her for the Commonwealth Cup – she could be that good, she’s very, very quick and is improving.

"Eximious might have one run and be launched at the Sandringham, while Sea Eagle needs to get a mark for the Britannia. Truthful is in the Ribblesdale but might go to Goodwood for a Listed race instead because it might be too big an ask, but she’s a very exciting filly to look forward to.

"Mantra and Ascot Racing Club's Mirroring will run at Yarmouth on Wednesday, and they go very well. It's an exciting time of year as we sort through them all as we only really want to go to Ascot with horses we feel can be very competitive."

Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Ascot, June 24)

bet365: 5 Artorius, 7 Highfield Princess, 10 Sacred, 12 Caravel, Royal Aclaim, Sandrine, Tenebrism, 14 Coeur De Pierre, 16 Al Suhail, Rohaan, Sense Of Duty, The Astrologist, Wellington, 20 bar

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