'Hopefully she can be seriously involved' - Joseph O'Brien teams up with Kiwi ace McDonald

No jockey who rode more than one winner at last year’s Royal Ascot had a better strike-rate than James McDonald. He registered three victories from just ten rides and it’s therefore no surprise that he has been snapped up by Joseph O’Brien for Yerwanthere.

J-Mac, as the New Zealand-born rider is fondly known in Australia, has yet to team up with O’Brien in Britain but the pair have joined forces in the southern hemisphere, including with Temple Of Artemis this season.

Yerwanthere lost her unbeaten record when only seventh in a Listed event at Naas last month, but she was just four lengths behind the winner and would have finished a lot closer with more luck in running. She was repeatedly denied a run and finished with plenty in the petrol tank.

Unlike many of the mile events this week, this race is run on the round course and Frankie Dettori is often the man to follow in such a test at the royal meeting. He won’t be short on favourites at his last Ascot and is on another one here in the shape of Tamarama.

She overcame a wide draw when winning at Kempton last time and represents Ralph Beckett, who is a dab hand when it comes to training fillies, but is looking for a first win in this race.

Tamarama is drawn wide again in 19 and so is one of her main market rivals in Crystal Caprice, who is bred to be top-class as a Frankel daughter of the Listed-winning mare Crystal Zvezda but has yet to live up to her billing on pedigree, albeit having run in strong company.

However, this won’t be any easier and Ryan Moore’s record for Sir Michael Stoute at Royal Ascot since 2017 is just 2-17 for a £1 level-stake loss of £11.43. That’s hardly a big positive.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Howden out for compensation

David Howden, owner of the classy but luckless Running Lion, is bidding for a high-profile success with her stablemate Lady Eros, who made a timely return to form when winning a mile handicap at Yarmouth on June 1.

The daughter of War Front was scoring for the first time on turf that day when providing the middle leg of a treble for Lady Eros's jockey Oisin Murphy. Howden prefers to use Murphy for his horses when available and the owner and jockey will be hoping to put two recent unhappy episodes with Running Lion at Epsom and Chantilly behind them.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly has not got many miles on the clock and as a prominent runner she should be suited by coming from stall one in a race that is the first of the afternoon on the round track.

Thady Gosden said: “She’ll enjoy the rain they’ve had and she won nicely at Yarmouth the other day. There were only a few runners that day so this will be a bit different with 20 runners in what is always an ultra-competitive handicap. She’s drawn one which could be a help but it depends on how the race unfolds.”

What they say

Archie Watson, trainer of Roman Mist
She's a very straightforward, tough, hardy filly. She won a Listed race on her first start for us and I thought this was the obvious target as she's got a bit of class for a race like this. She's drawn wide but I think she can run a very good race if she gets a good trip round from her wide draw.

Roger Varian, trainer of Mukaddamah and Zenga
Mukaddamah was all at sea on the bottomless ground at Nottingham first time but she will appreciate this better ground and is well drawn. Dropping to a mile is an experiment and we’ve put the cheekpieces on to sharpen her up. Zenga will appreciate the rain they’ve had and deserves to take her chance.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Villanova Queen 
I thought she ran very respectably in a Listed race at Naas, where she didn't get the clearest of runs, and she has been going nicely at home.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Yerwanthere and Adelaise 
Yerwanthere is a lovely unexposed filly. We’ve had this in mind for her ever since she won at Dundalk back in December. She’ll be very inexperienced compared to her rivals, but she’s learned a lot in her last two runs as she got caught in traffic. Hopefully she can be seriously involved. Adelaise ran well in a handicap at the Curragh on Guineas weekend and wasn't beaten far either. This has been the plan since and she has some good form in the book.

Simon Crisford, joint-trainer of Al Agaila
She found the ground a bit lively on her return from a break at Nottingham last time and the rain they’ve had will help her chances.

Harry Eustace: Belhaven 'not without a chance'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Harry Eustace, trainer of Belhaven
She’s drawn in the middle which might be a challenge as she doesn’t like to be crowded. I don’t know how well handicapped she is but if things drop right she’s not without a chance.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Tamarama 
We can't do anything about the draw in 19 but she's got good tactical speed and goes there in good shape after her win at Kempton.

Claire Kubler, joint-trainer of Don’t Tell Claire
She’s been fantastic for us over the years. She loves Ascot and deserves a shot at this type of race. She’s drawn wide but we couldn’t be happier with her.

George Margarson, trainer of Farhh To Shy and Golden Spice
Farhh To Shy has a high draw but last year’s one-two-three were drawn out there so it’s no big problem. She won well over the straight course last time and will be doing all her best work at the finish. Golden Spice is well drawn in stall two as she likes to go forward and I think she’ll outrun her odds.
Reporting by David Milnes

Read more of Wednesday's previews:

'She's improving all the time' - leading juvenile fillies clash in wide-open Queen Mary 

A polarising favourite against a Dettori-ridden Group 1 winner - how do Jumbly and Prosperous Voyage match up?  

Race to savour: big guns ready to rumble in mouthwatering Prince of Wales's 

Ante-post gamble Perotto 'has great credentials' - but who else has been laid out for the Royal Hunt Cup? 

Can the unbeaten Gregory follow in the footsteps of Stradivarius by landing Queen's Vase for Gosdens? 

'I think he'll run a very big race' - expert analysis and trainer quotes for the Windsor Castle 

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