Dylan Cunha hopes Zminiature can compete at Ascot with the best

Dylan Cunha thinks his top colt Zminiature, when he goes to Royal Ascot, has a "lovely chance" of winning a major race.

On the first day of the new Flat season, the two-year-old made his debut at Doncaster, winning the Brocklesby Stakes. Last week, he caught everyone's attention by placing third in the Orbital Veterinary Services National Stakes at Sandown.

At the beginning of the five-furlong race, Zminiature hesitated, giving his five opponents a significant advantage by letting Rhys Clutterbuck's horse go off the bridle.

Though he finished barely a length and three-quarters behind eventual victor Enchanting Empress, he put on a brave show to stay within touching distance until storming home in the final two furlongs to pass Hawaiian, Spirit Dancer, and Reposado.

Zminiature is scheduled for a third run at five furlongs when he ventures into Group Two territory for the first time. Cunha acknowledged that six furlongs might prove to be the best journey for the horse.

“He ran a cracking race last week,” Cunha said. “He’s good and he heads to Royal Ascot, he probably gets three entries and we will see which we decide to go for. I would say the preferred one is the Norfolk. If it was my choice I would go for Windsor Castle, but the owners want to go for the bigger pot on Thursday. You can’t blame them, you might never have one this early again so we might as well. He’s paid for himself with his last two runs anyway.”