Wesley's Royal Ascot love affair shows no signs of waning

For a man who admits he likes to work in his favourite tatty jeans, an old t-shirt and a baseball cap, Wesley Ward rather suits a top hat and tails, writes James Toney

American trainer Ward talks about Royal Ascot with such love and wide-eyed respect you half expect him to break into a verse from Jerusalem and check his phone for the latest cricket score.

It’s eight years since he became the first American trainer to score a winner at the royal meeting and since then he has added eight more successes from just 47 runners, an incredible and enviable strike rate.

Ward’s record with two-year-olds is even more remarkable, six of his winners coming from this age group.

But all eyes will be on four-year old speedster Lady Aurelia, seeking a remarkable hat-trick at the royal meeting.

Ward’s speedy filly scorched to a seven length victory in the Queen Mary Stakes two years ago, leaving rivals flailing in her slipstream.

And last year she followed up with a win in the group one five furlong £500,000 King’s Stand Stakes – part of the Qipco British Champions Series – a title she is seeking to defend for the first time since Sole Power in 2014.

Her fans will be emboldened by the memories of those previous wins but could this be a year too far? She lost an epic battle in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, ran a distant ten of 12 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and was beaten in her season debut at Keeneland in April.

In contrast key rival Battaash beat Nunthorpe winner Marsha at the Prix de l’Abbaye and won his first race of the season last month.

“She was too complacent going into the Breeders’ Cup, too easy going and not relaxed,” admitted Ward.

“She is more like the horse we know now and looks really aggressive. She was bucking, kicking and jumping around – that’s what I want to see.

“She’ll need to be every bit as good as she ever to get the job done again but she loves it here and is doing great. She’s a bit older obviously and he’s (Battaash) a gelding but let’s see.”

It’s clear the bullishness of the last two years has been tempered and while, win or lose, Lady A is his undoubted stable star, there are Ward raiders that get those eyes twinkling.

His record with two-year olds has been rewarded with three Queen Anne Stakes victories in the last eight years and Chelsea Cloisters looks primed to deliver for jockey Frankie Dettori on fast and firming ground that is bound to suit.

But Ward, who has brought glamour and swagger to Royal Ascot’s sprint race also likes his chances in the Royal Hunt Cup, where Master Merion, a horse part-owned by golfer Justin Rose’s wife Kate, looks a value price.

Rose is currently well-placed in his own sporting battle at the US Open in New York but a double celebration could be on the cards next Wednesday.

The horse is even named after the Merion course in Pennsylvania where Rose won the US Open five years ago.

“Ryan Moore will ride and he’s got a big chance and we can’t wait,” added Ward. “He won four on the spin last year and his preparations just couldn’t have gone better, we are really pleased with him.”

Ward’s commitment to Royal Ascot has changed the meeting’s standing across the Atlantic, with national coverage in a 4½-hour daily show on NBC.

He insists the timing works perfectly and other trainers are slowly starting to follow his lead with the Bill Mott-trained Yoshida a leading hope in the Queen Anne Stakes, the opening race of the £6 million meeting.

And then there is Brendan Walsh’s Beckford and Todd Pletcher’s Frankel colt Gidu, both live chances in the Commonwealth Cup, a six-furlong dash for three-year-olds.

“I love this place and obviously I’d like to see more American horses coming over,” adds Ward.

“The pageantry can feel a bit overwhelming. I was star struck when I first ran a horse here in 2009 and we won two races in two days. That moment I knew I’d keep wanting to come back year after year.

“It’s just the best racecourse in the world, with the best horses racing in the best setting. It’s the focal point of my year.”