Eldarov poised to make a statement at the prestigious Royal Ascot event
Can Eldar Eldarov Win Again in Royal Ascot?
The stage is set for another thrilling edition of the prestigious Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, and all eyes will be on last year’s winner, Eldar Eldarov.
Roger Varian’s four-year-old claimed victory in the Queen’s Vase before going on to win the St Leger. He returned to action this season at York where he narrowly missed out on beating Giavellotto who was carrying less weight than him. The upcoming race will see him testing his skills over a distance further than two miles which is uncharted territory for him but we can expect nothing but competitiveness from this tough horse.
A Horse That Can Handle Any Ground
Eldar Eldarov has proven that he can handle different types of ground conditions making it hard to predict how well he’ll perform in variable weather conditions at Royal Ascot.
His racing manager Chris Wall said: “We’re not too worried about the ground. I suppose like everybody we’d like a little bit of juice, so a few showers wouldn’t go amiss but he’s proved he’s effective on any ground, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Possible Improvement Over Longer Distances
This will be Elder Ealdarov’s first time running over a distance longer than two miles but he gives the impression that he will stay those distances well. Four-year-olds have a great record in the Gold Cup and if Ealdarov can get across this hurdle, he could potentially even improve for racing over further.
Sakheer with Leading Claims in Commonwealth Cup
The KHK Racing stable also holds high hopes for Sakheer who has leading claims in the Commonwealth Cup. The Mill Reef winner finished seventh on soft ground at 2000 Guineas.
Wall said: “He must have a good chance. It was hard to tell whether he stayed a mile on that awful ground in the Guineas, but he acquitted himself well.”
The owners are confident about both their horses’ chances but know they need to put up strong performances given how competitive Royal Ascot is every year.