Trade Fair Royal Ascot Bid
Crack Trade Fair mare Moonstone Magic is likely to contest the Windsor Forrest Stakes (one mile) at Royal Ascot on June 19.
Moonstone Magic made a big impression with a first-up eight-length win in a seven-furlong fillies maiden at Leicester on April 13 last year.
She then shot into prominence for the classics with a resounding 3 3/4-length success in the Group 3 Fred Darling Stakes (seven furlongs) at Newbury.
Moonstone Magic was strongly fancied for the Group 1 English One Thousand Guineas and ran as the 13/2 equal second favourite but came out of the race with a fractured pelvis.
She was given a long break and resumed with a 2 3/4-length third to the even money favourite, Viztoria, in last week’s Group 3 Athasi Stakes (seven furlongs) at The Curragh in Ireland.
“I was delighted with the run,” said trainer Ralph Beckett.
“It was gluely old ground. Pat Smullen looked after her and nursed her to the line.
“She’s come out of the race well. Track conditions will govern our plans but the Windsor Forrest looks the race for her.”
It could be a big Royal Ascot for Trade Fair, who stands the coming WA stud season for an unchanged $4,500, plus gst, at John Andrew’s Alwyn Park Stud, Serpentine.
The brilliant Dubai Group 2 winner Trade Storm is set to take on Animal Kingdom and a star-studded cast in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (one mile).
. Trade Fair again demonstrated his versatility on Sunday when newcomer Sunshine Tracker won The Marseille (1200m) in Macau and Fair Trade won the Novice Hurdle (two miles) at Kempton in England.
Sunshine Tracker is from the family of Famous Roman (Group 2 Lee-Steere Stakes, Group 3 R.J. Peters Stakes and Listed Northerly Stakes and Aquanita Stakes), Western Jewel (Group 2 Perth Cup), Timeless Action (Group 3 Strickland Stakes and Listed Supremacy Stakes, N.J. Way Stakes and Sunspeed Champion Stakes), Western Blaze (Listed Raconteur Stakes) and Alibi Bay (Listed Ascot Gold Cup).
Fair Trade is also a winner on the flat at both Newbury and Kempton.