Impressive Newbury debut scorer Water To Wine will look to demonstrate his Royal Ascot potential at Kempton on Wednesday. John & Thady Gosden’s charge was previously seen as an Epsom Derby hopeful.
Connections have opted for a more patient approach to Water To Wine’s career though. He was a late withdrawal from participating at Chester’s May meeting, denying him a chance at running in a Derby trial. His second start comes in much calmer waters at the Surrey track on Wednesday evening.
He takes part in a 1m3f novice event under a 7lb winners’ penalty. That extra weight has not made any dent on his price in the betting, though. Water To Wine is a heavy odds-on favourite, with stablemate Humphrey, an unraced brother to some previously useful Gosden inmates, next in the market.
Anything but a win would potentially damage his prospects for the remainder of the campaign. He is a likely runner in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, while he has also been given an entry in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Of his hopes for the rest of the season, John Gosden said to the Racing Post: “He is likely to be Ascot-bound. He’s a very tall, leggy horse and Epsom might not be his track, but one step at a time. We missed a bit of time with him after Newbury but he’s back now.”
“He’s a lovely horse” – Tom Goff
The son of Kingman will have to possess more stamina than his sire. However, his debut win came over 1m3f and there was no sense of him stopping.
It is not just Water To Wine’s trainers who are excited. Tom Goff, bloodstock adviser to the horse’s owners George Strawbridge, described the sense of anticipation for what could be to come.
“He’s a lovely horse and has a beautiful action. He missed Chester and now we’re hoping he can get back on track. He’ll learn a lot at Kempton because it’s a different style of racing there and I’m sure he’ll come on a lot for it.
“The Chester Vase was selected by John and Thady to give him experience, so obviously it was a shame he couldn’t run there.
“It’s easy to look back with hindsight, but he’s been entered at Kempton to get some experience too. We want to see him run again before we start making any definite targets.”
Should he pass the Kempton test, crowds can look forward to a run at the royal meeting.