'That was very impressive' - Believing cut for Royal Ascot sprints after Listed success as Live In The Dream fails to fire

Believing emerged as a candidate for Royal Ascot sprint honours with a decisive success in the Listed Achilles Stakes as 5-4 favourite Live In The Dream failed to fire.

The George Boughey-trained winner showed her potency over the minimum trip under Danny Tudhope to earn a crack at the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday week, for which she was cut to 20-1 (from 50) with bet365.

While Believing gave her connections reasons to look forward with a two-and-three-quarter length success, Live In The Dream left his team scratching their heads after a bitterly disappointing display.

Last year's Nunthorpe hero was on favourable terms in the Betfred-sponsored contest but after breaking quickly from the stalls and leading to the last furlong and a half, he wilted out of contention to finish fifth.

"I'm shocked and can't believe he's run that badly," said owner Steve De'Lemos. "Maybe it's a bit of a City Of Troy moment in the Guineas. He was a short-priced favourite and he was stuffed.

"He's been doing some great work at home and we feel he's matured and is a better horse than last year. Everything was perfect. 

"The only thing against us today was a 40 miles per hour headwind, but nobody really slipstreamed him. He did peck as he came out the stalls, so I don't know if he's hurt himself. There's something not right but Adam [West, trainer] will get to the bottom of it."

Believing has done most of her racing over six furlongs, including when beaten less than a length in the Sprint Cup at this track last September.  

Believing (left): sprints clear of her rivalsCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Highclere Racing-owned filly bounced back impressively from a recent trip to Hong Kong, where she only finished ninth of 11 in the Chairman's Sprint Prize in April. 

Speaking away from the track, Boughey said: "That was very impressive. There was a strong headwind and the favourite was running into the teeth of it but we weren't sat that far behind.

"I was really disappointed after Hong Kong when nothing really went right for her but the key to her is good ground."

The trainer raised the possibility of Believing running in both Group 1 sprints at the royal meeting.

"She'll definitely run in the five-furlong race," he said. "It wouldn't be the biggest surprise in the world if she also ran on the Saturday over six as well [in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes].

"She's very easy to train so if she's okay after Tuesday's race, she could then run on the Saturday."

Believing was cut to 16-1 (from 25) for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee by Coral.

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