Ballydoyle Review: Lockinge Stakes win for Rhododendron

On Saturday over the straight mile at Newbury in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes, Rhododendron (Galileo) came out on top in a cracking finish. Royal Ascot now beckons with the Queen Anne Stakes and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes both possibilities. She is now a Group 1 winner at two, three and four years.

In the following Conditions Stakes The Irish Rover (No Nay Never) quickened up nicely to score by 2½ lengths and looks another promising sort for his exciting young sire. “Ryan was delighted with The Irish Rover and we're thinking of the Coventry, Norfolk or Windsor Castle,” commented Aidan O’Brien.

Closer to home, Southern France (Galileo) stepped up on his maiden win at Leopardstown to land the featured Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes at Navan. He may now be aimed at the Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

Naas on Sunday saw the reappearance of last year’s Norfolk and Phoenix Stakes winner Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy) in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes won last year by Caravaggio. Like last year’s winner this big powerful colt will likely go straight for the six-furlong Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot against his own age group but may then drop back in trip for the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

In the earlier Listed Rochestown Stakes, Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) was an impressive winner and is also on target for Royal Ascot, most likely the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.