Will Mishriff bounce back at Royal Ascot
Mishriff entered the 2021 flat season with a burgeoning reputation but left the campaign with more questions over his head rather than answers. John and Thady Gosden’s charge impressed overseas in the Saudi Cup and the Sheema Classic, winning both events with fine performances, and was touted for great things for the 2021 term racing in the United Kingdom with a number of prizes on offer.
He made his bow in the Eclipse at Sandown Park, but was off the pace of St Mark’s Basilica and then finished behind Adayar in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He did produce one victory in the campaign at York, but he ended his debut campaign on a low note at Ascot in the Champion Stakes. His form since has not been encouraging, as he finished dead last in his defense of the Saudi Cup.
As a result of his form, you can now find odds of +450 for a bet on Royal Ascot 2022 for Mishriff to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. There are several quality competitors in the field that will make life difficult for Gosden’s charge, raising the stakes for the trainer and David Egan in the saddle. He certainly has the quality to turn his form around with a good run at Royal Ascot, but his recent form does have cause for concern, especially against talented rivals.
Mishriff’s two performances at Ascot are telling as he lost out to Adayar in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes last July and Sealiway in a surprise win for the French thoroughbred in the Champion Stakes in October. Mishriff did run a solid race against Adayar, who had previously won The Derby, in their encounter, but Egan could not find the extra surge of pace when he needed it the most down the stretch. Mishriff did have a shot a furlong out, but Adayar was able to fend off his charge to take a victory by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
After winning the Juddmonte International Stakes at York with a brilliant performance to see off Alenquer by a dominant margin, Mishriff was installed as the favorite by the bookmakers for the Champion Stakes to end the campaign. The Irish thoroughbred had a decent start to the contest and pressed for the win towards the end of the race. However, he weakened down the stretch as the pace of Sealiway was too much for him to compete with, which resulted in a disappointing fourth-place finish.
In defense of his Saudi Cup, Mishriff put forward an alarming performance to place dead last after starting the race as the favorite. Examinations after the race revealed that there was no ailment impeding his form, leaving the Gosdens in the dark about why he had failed so spectacularly in Riyadh. It has been left away from the track since and the time away may have benefitted the horse that was in action throughout the flat season in 2021. However, there will be high expectations at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
