Trainer Ed Bethell feels that his stable star's satisfying return at the Curragh on Saturday makes the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot 'tailor-made' for Regional.
The six-year-old, a Group One winner of the Sprint Cup at Haydock last season, was being prepared to make a comeback to Merseyside for the Temple Stakes on Saturday when the weather forced a last-minute change in schedule.
Instead, Regional crossed the Irish Sea to contest the Group Two Greenlands Stakes on Irish 2,000 Guineas day and ran an excellent race in defeat, cutting out much of the running before being mowed down late by fellow British raider Mitbaahy.
Bethell is certain that he will go to Ascot next month as a significant factor and could not have been more proud of his charge in the defeat.
“He ran really well, delighted with him,” said the North Yorkshire-based trainer. “A stiff six (furlongs) just found him out and all roads lead to the King Charles at Royal Ascot. Hopefully, we’ll get good, fast ground there and I’m really excited about his chance over five furlongs on that track. The whole idea was to go to the Temple, but the ground went against us at Haydock, so we went to the Curragh for the ground. A stiff six would never have been his cup of tea, but a stiff five at Ascot will be tailor-made for him. It’s what we all do it for, to have chances going down there, let alone a live one. To have runners at Royal Ascot is what we all do it for and we’re really excited, fingers crossed he’ll get there.”