Washington Heights hopes to arrive at Royal Ascot
"Some of the top sprints of the season" are the goals for Washington Heights, and the four-year-old will next be entered in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The bay, trained by Kevin Ryan, had plenty of game when it finished fourth in last week's Group Two 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes, trailing the winner Mill Stream by only half a length.
Washington Heights' tremendous victory in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket in April was undone by that outcome, and even if the owners of Hambleton Racing didn't win on the Knavesmire, they still have big goals in mind.
The Washington DC did have an entry for this Saturday's Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh but he will forego it in favour of the Royal festival next month, which may result in more assignments at Newmarket, Haydock or might be a return to Ascot if successful.
The owner's racing manager, Cosmo Charlton, feels that several factors worked against Washington Heights at York, and he also suggested that the sprinting sensation might eventually be lowered to five furlongs.
“He’s doing well, it was a really good run to back up the Abernant so strongly, but was probably unfortunate as well,” Charlton said. “He was probably on the wrong side of the track, the rain that came overnight counted against him and he was in front a long way out so he was an unfortunate loser I’d have thought, but it was still a great run and we’re looking forward to the big races ahead. We will be looking towards the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Ascot now. We will be looking towards there and at the moment, we will be looking at some of the top sprints of the season. I think he’s going to earn his place in some of the big contests. The Abernant was a very strong Group Three and I think that race was a stronger renewal than normal. Two strong races probably should have won both, big figures he’s recorded in both as well. And the thing is, even though he stays the six-well, I think he’s not short of enough boot to entertain five furlongs at some point maybe as well with him.”