Bell backing Spicy Marg to pack Ascot punch

Michael Bell is confident Spicy Marg can do herself justice when she steps up to Group company in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Starspangledbanner filly sparkled on her racecourse debut, coming home two and three-quarter lengths clear at Newmarket on Guineas weekend and Bell is delighted with preparations and the draw in Berkshire.

Spicy Marg will be partnered by Kieran Shoemark, and Bell said: “She’s all locked and loaded and we’re very happy with her well-being.

“It (the draw) looks good, we’ve got Staya on our inside and all the major players seem to be drawn between eight and 15, so I think they’re all in our sights so I’m very happy with the draw.

“It is a step up but the clock seems to say that she deserves to be in the race and she looks smart at home, so we’ll see what happens on the day.”

The Karl Burke-trained Zelaina is another who made an impressive debut when scooting home by the same winning margin as Spicy Marg at Nottingham.

Richard Brown, racing adviser to owners Wathnan, said: “We were delighted with Nottingham and we were excited the day we bought her, we were excited when we heard the reports from Karl, but she had had an interrupted prep going into Nottingham.

“She had banged a knee and she had missed 10 days so was definitely undercooked going there.

“We definitely think there is more improvement to come and she was very impressive. You have to be really excited about her and she’s definitely one of the big hopes of the week.

“It’s a Queen Mary and lots of people are thinking they have a big hope, but we think we do and we just need that bit of luck. They will be spread across the track and it will be a big field and fingers crossed she can do the job as she’s a filly we’re really excited about.”

American runner Lennilu puts her unbeaten record on the line after winning on the dirt at Keeneland and following it up with a turf victory at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Patrick Biancone, who began his career in France when he sent out back-to-back Arc winners in All Along and Sagace, is happy with preparations and reported his filly was unfazed by the trip from America.

He said: “She won her maiden easily. We then decided to train her hopefully for the Queen Mary and we won the prep race that was sponsored by Gulfstream. She won that easily too. We were expecting her to run well there, but expecting it is one thing, doing it is another.

“She travelled very well. She’s walking around well now, she slept really well. We knew she’d travel well because when she ran in Keeneland she had to go 17 hours there and 17 more to come back and she took it very well.

“Ascot is a special place for every trainer in the world, especially the Royal meeting. I’ve been lucky in my life to have good horses and she’s one of them. We’re very happy.”

Aidan O’Brien will be represented by True Love, while other major players include Ralph Beckett’s Society Kiss and George Scott’s Staya in a field of 25.