PART 3: HOUTZEN AND HER KING'S STAND STAKES ASSIGNMENT. A HORSERACINGONLY SERIES EXCLUSIVE

By Toby Edmonds | Friday, May 31, 2019

In this HRO exclusive series, trainer Toby Edmonds continues his behind the scenes commentary on Houtzen’s build-up as the stable’s star filly moves towards a tilt at the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The countdown is well and truly on now and Houtzen continues to take everything in her stride, pleasing her trainer who is very happy with her progress at this stage of proceedings. This is Part 3 of the HRO Houtzen series.

“A little over a week ago, on the Monday, we took Houtzen down to Ascot.

“She had a gallop up the straight there and had a look at the surroundings. It’s quite a daunting track … but I don’t think it is more daunting than Newmarket to be honest, but they are quite daunting courses so it was good for Houtzen to have a gallop under pressure up that straight.

“She galloped with Acqume. That’s what Acqume is there for … it’s a work partner for her. Oisin Murphy rode Houtzen in the gallop. He’s been really good for us. He has jumped on her twice now.

“She went very well. She had two gallops pretty quickly actually … she galloped the Friday before as well. She then also had a gallop again a week later (on Tuesday this week) … just on her own. Her work was good.

“I believe Kerrin McEvoy (who has the race ride) is going to be there early this year and we are trying to organise a sort of jump-out somewhere … whether it be a trial or a jump-out type of thing. They don’t have them over there. We will try and organise an inhouse one if we can.

“As I said before, I’ve got to measure her work because she does come to hand quite quickly. I was over there for the Monday gallop. I wanted to see how fit she was after that gallop.

“She looks fairly forward … but, then again, it’s a whole different game on race-day.

“We’ve still got plenty of time. Another good, sharp couple of gallops and she should be close.

“There have been no setbacks at all. She is sound. She eats. She works ok. She has never been any stress whatsoever … so every time we’ve had her into a preparation we’ve have hardly ever had a setback with her which is good.

“I go over on June 8 … the Saturday … after the Stradbroke we’ll be heading over.

“That’s about ten days out from the race so I’ll be there for the final stages of her lead up work and then hopefully we’ll be all set to go.”

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“Acqume, Houtzen’s stable companion / work-mate, did run in a race at York the other day (May 25) and she went poorly.

“She didn’t perform. They rode her a bit close perhaps, but she has got a good pedigree so she’ll go to a stallion.

“Trent made the trip with her to York. It’s about three-and-a-half hours away from Newmarket so it was a good trip for them.

“It didn’t work out … but, nothing ventured, nothing gained … and we move on.”

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HRO COMMENT:

The King’s Stand Stakes is run on Day 1 of Royal Ascot (June 18).

Houtzen currently sits at $25 in the betting for her international debut.

The runners who filled the first three placings in the 2018 King’s Stand fill the first three placings on the 2019 King’s Stand betting boards.

Currently, Blue Point, who won the race last year, is the $3 favourite while the prices of Battaash, who was runner-up and a beaten favourite in the race last year, and Mabs Cross, who finished third last year at odds of $18, are both currently hovering between $5 and $6.

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