Solow set for toughest task at Ascot

Freddy Head is bracing himself for Solow’s biggest challenge to date in Tuesday‘s Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Solow extended his winning sequence to five on the trot with a smooth success at Longchamp last time out in the Group 1 Prix D’Ispahan.

Prior to that he had delivered a brilliant performance at Meydan in March when winning the Dubai Turf on World Cup night; easily dispatching favourite The Grey Gatsby by more than four lengths.

Head insists that Ascot will be the most daunting challenge Solow has faced in his career so far, but he says preparations for Tuesday’s race could not have gone any better.

“He’s very well, things couldn’t be better and we’ll see how good he is. It’s his toughest task. He’s never faced as many good horses, but we’ll see what he’s worth,” the French trainer told At The Races.

Head has every reason to be cautious after a high-class field of eight were declared for the race at Sunday’s 48-hour deadline.

John Moore’s Able Friend has been peerless in Hong Kong and connections have been bullish in declaring he will prove himself to be the best horse in the world on ratings in Tuesday’s race.

Last year’s 2000 Guineas hero Night Of Thunder warmed up for the race by winning the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month and he will join stablemate Toormore – second in the Lockinge – in representing Richard Hannon in the race.

France has a second representative in the form of Andre Fabre’s Esoterique while Ireland will have just one runner, the Aidan O’Brien trained Cougar Mountain, who was well held in the Lockinge last month by the Hannon duo.