'We have a great chance' - Demuro sweet on Japanese star in Prince of Wales's

Shahryar will be a tough nut to crack for a home team led by Bay Bridge in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, according to Arc-winning jockey Cristian Demuro, who is relishing the opportunity to ride the Japanese Derby and Sheema Classic winner in Wednesday's Group 1 contest at Royal Ascot.

No stranger to success at the royal meeting having won the Chesham aboard the Eoghan O'Neill-trained Suits You seven years ago, Demuro has been entrusted with the ride on both Shahryar and Platinum Jubilee challenger Grenadier Guards, and flew into Newmarket to ride the Prince of Wales's Stakes second favourite in a piece of work on the Limekilns on Saturday.

"I rode Shahryar and while it wasn’t a serious gallop he seemed well cantering up the grass," said Demuro at Longchamp on Sunday.

"I didn't actually work him in Dubai before the Sheema Classic, I got to know him in the moments before the race. That said, he seems to me to be in the same sort of shape."

Shahryar at Roger Varian's Carlburg stablesCredit: Edward Whitaker

The most valuable race of the week at Ascot, the £1 million Prince of Wales's Stakes will feature a maximum of eight runners trained across four different countries, five of whom are already Group 1 winners, though the market is headed by a debutant at the top level in Brigadier Gerard winner Bay Bridge at a top-price 5-4 with Ladbrokes and Coral.

"It won't be a big field but you'll have Lord North and Bay Bridge, who won very easily last time," said Demuro. "Then there's Grand Glory, who I know very well. They're trying something in running here but she has been in wonderful form this season and it would be wrong to ignore her."

While Shahryar's most high-profile successes have come at a mile and a half, the son of Deep Impact broke the track record for nine furlongs at Hanshin in his trial for the Japanese Derby last spring.

"He doesn’t lack pace and in Dubai I was able to jump him out and get a place behind the leader," said Demuro. "He was the same in the Derby and the Japan Cup, he was able to get where his rider wanted to be and he can follow any kind of pace.

"The question will be how he handles the rise and fall of Ascot, but he seemed comfortable in Newmarket yesterday. If there's no pace on it wouldn’t bother me to go on. I'll just worry about what pace we need to go.

"If he is in the same sort of form as in Dubai, the form lines will tell you we have a great chance."

Shahryar, a general 100-30 second favourite for the Prince of Wales's, represents top Japanese trainer Hideaki Fujiwara and carries the colours of Sunday Racing, while the same owners also have Grenadier Guards in Saturday's sprint highlight for Mitsumasa Nakauchida.

Campaigned mostly at a mile and seven furlongs, Grenadier Guards will be having only his second start at six, a move Demuro expects to suit the Frankel colt.

Grenadier Guards at Roger Varian's Newmarket baseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"I won a Group 2 in Japan this winter with him over seven furlongs and he's a horse that can be quite keen and has plenty of natural speed," said the French-based Italian, who is a frequent visitor to Japan during the winter months. "There’s not a lot at this trip for him in Japan and so this is a good opportunity.

"I didn’t ride him in Newmarket but I saw him and he looks magnificent. He’s up against very good horses but he impressed me when I won on him before."

Work-watchers in Chantilly are used to the armada of Japanese media that accompany challengers for the Arc, and Demuro confirmed the prospect of two runners at Royal Ascot has generated just as much interest on the evidence of his flying visit to Newmarket.

Prince of Wales's Stakes (3.40, June 15)

Coral: 5-4 Bay Bridge, 3 Shahryar, 5 State Of Rest, 6 Lord North, 8 Grand Glory, 10 Dubai Honour, 14 Addeybb, 25 Broome

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