Romanised

Romanised was unlucky not to finish closer than he did in the Queen Anne Stakes. Ken Condon’s colt travelled really well through his race for Billy Lee and, passing the two-furlong marker, he and the winner Lord Glitters were the only two horses who were still on the bridle. The gap opened for Lord Glitters and Danny Tudhope towards the far side, whereas Billy Lee had to sit and suffer towards the centre on Romanised. By the time he eventually got a gap between Mustashry and Mythical Magic, the winner had flown, but Romanised picked up nicely and kept on well, switched again towards the far side, to finish fourth, beaten a total of two lengths, nearest at the finish. Winner of last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas, the Holy Roman Emperor colt hasn’t won again since, but he didn’t have a lot of luck in-running at Naas on his debut this term, and he shaped encouragingly in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on his second run. This was another step forward, and there could be another big prize in him now. He is well suited by a stiff, straight mile, with a fast pace, as he got here and as he had when he won the Irish Guineas, and ideally fast ground. There is lots of stamina in his pedigree too, so he could also be of interest stepped up to nine or 10 furlongs. He was sent off at 25/1 for the Queen Anne, and it may be that the market will continue to under-rate him.

Ascot, 18^th June 2019