2015 Royal Ascot news round-up: Territories ruled out of St James’s Palace

Leading French hope Andre Fabre’s Territories has been ruled out of St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot after suffering a stone bruise.

The Andre Fabre-trained colt, who is owned by Godolphin, was a top class juvenile and ran a blinder when chasing home Gleneagles in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket when last seen in action.

He had been 7/1 with Coral for the Group 1 contest on the opening day of the meeting on Tuesday, June 16th.

John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor, said on the Godolphin website: “Unfortunately Territories was not sound this morning and it is understood to be a stone bruise.

“He will therefore not take up his engagement in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.”

Gleneagles is now odds-on at 8/13 with Coral for the St James’s Palace, with Territories stable companion Make Believe next best in at 11/4. Unbeaten colt Consort continues to attract support and is now 5/1, and it’s 12/1 and upwards for the rest.

Trip To Paris given Gold Cup ticket
Chester Cup winner Trip To Paris has been supplemented for the Ascot Gold Cup at a cost of £35k and introduced into the betting at 12/1 by Coral.

The Ed Dunlop-trained gelding, who won at Lingfield and Ripon prior to success at Chester, is progressing at a rate of knots and posted a career-best effort when chasing home Vent De Force in the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown last time out after enduring a troubled passage.

With slight doubts about the participation of the market leader Forgotten Rules (11/4) on account of fast ground, Dunlop and owners the La Grange Partnership have decided to take the gamble and let the four-year-old have a crack at the Group 1 contest run over 2m 4f on Thursday, June 18th.