Wesley Ward takes aim at first US automatic qualifiers for Royal Ascot

Wesley Ward will be well represented in the US's first automatic qualifiers for Royal Ascot at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

The Keeneland-based trainer has enjoyed 12 winners at the royal meeting and will field a horse in each of the special races, the Royal Palm Juvenile and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.

Both winners of the $100,000 five-furlong turf events will be guaranteed a spot in one of the six juvenile races at Royal Ascot, as well as a $25,000 bonus to facilitate travel from the US to the UK.

Ward will be represented by Ocean Mermaid in the Juvenile Fillies and Holding The Line in the Juvenile. The latter is owned by legendary jockey Steve Cauthen, who won the Triple Crown in 1978 with Affirmed and was also champion jockey in Britain on three occasions between 1984 and 1987.

The unraced colt is by Soldier's Call, who won the Windsor Castle in 2018 and now stands at Ballyhane Stud in Ireland, and was purchased from last year's Tattersalls October Yearling sale for $71,979 with the long-term aim of competing at the royal meeting.

Ward said: "He was purchased over in England. Steve picked him out with the hopes he himself can get back to Royal Ascot. They had him there last year commentating."

The trainer could also be represented at Ascot on Saturday as Bledsoe, who he owns, is entered in the 5f novice stakes (3.10).

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