'I don't think weight bothers him' - Jumby team won't shy away from Wokingham as five-year-old shows class in John of Gaunt

On a day of Royal Ascot clues, there were two for the price of one in the John of Gaunt Stakes as Jumby rattled home late to deny The Astrologist.

The Eve Johnson Houghton-trained winner is a seven-furlong specialist, but he could return for another crack at the Wokingham in which he was third last year.

He was cut to 14-1 (from 20-1) for Ascot's big sprint handicap, and Johnson Houghton will consider it before races like the Lennox, Hungerford and Foret later in the season.

"Seven furlongs is the right trip, but it's the hardest trip to find and he also doesn't want soft ground, so we have to just pick our way through," Johnson Houghton said.

"He's a brilliant horse who is very good in Group 3s, he's won a Group 2 and there's no reason why he couldn't win another one. He'd have to carry a lot of weight in the Wokingham, but when you see the size of him I don't think weight bothers him very much so we'll see."

The Astrologist, who led for most of the race under Ryan Moore before being picked off late, appears on course for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

Dom Sutton, assistant to Australian joint-trainers Leon and Troy Corstens, said: "It was definitely a step in the right direction. Ryan said he thought he was on the winner three furlongs out. He was probably just found wanting in the last 50 yards, stepping up to seven furlongs on his second start [in Britain], but it will put him cherry ripe for Ascot so he should be at peak fitness." 

The Julie Camacho-trained Raatea was also shortened in the Wokingham betting –16-1 (from 33-1) – after winning the 6f handicap earlier on the card.

'He's bloody quick'

Ed Bethell will work his way back from the Nunthorpe in August with Regional after the progressive sprinter lowered the track record in the Listed Achilles Stakes.

The five-year-old, who won a valuable handicap at York on his comeback last month, shaved 0.28s off Look Out Louis's previous best from last year under Callum Rodriguez to ignite major ambitions for the summer.

Regional wins at Haydock under Callum RodriguezCredit: john grossick

"Fast ground and flat tracks are his big things and we'll try and keep him to that now," said Bethell. "I'd imagine we'll look at the Nunthorpe as it looks a logical target. 

"We'll chat about what we do in the interim – there's the City Walls with a penalty or the King George at Goodwood. He wasn't the same horse last season as he is this year, he's just thrived and is enjoying his races." 

Bethell's father James sent out Moss Gill to finish third behind Battaash in the 2020 Nunthorpe, but the two horses have opposite ways of doing things. 

"They're very different types," Bethell said. "Moss Gill had the most economical stride we've had at our yard whereas this fella doesn't have one at all, but he's bloody quick. It's very exciting for everybody to be involved in a nice horse like this." 

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