Future Royal Ascot runners in action at Goodwood

RACEGOERS at Goodwood on Saturday had the chance to see the favourite for the Hunt Cup, Bankable, in winning action- as well as enjoying a warm afternoon.

Bankable, trained by Luca Cumani, reinforced his favouritism for the Royal Ascot race and has won four of his last five starts, improving with each run.

Viking Spirit is also heading for Royal Ascot after justifying good support in the6f handicap with a decisive two-length defeat of Pawan. His target is the Wokingham, and he is a 25-1 chance with Coral and William Hill.

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Richard Hannon saddled three of the eight runners in the two-year-old maiden and they came first, second and fourth. The winner, completing a double for Bankable's rider Dane O'Neill, was Versaki, who at 13-2 was the longest-priced of the trio.

Explained Hannon: " Versaki enjoyed the ground today, unlike Noble Jack, who finished second. I brought three of them here because I didn't want to have to travel them up north and this is a comparitively easy journey for them. Noble Jack simply didn't act on this ground."

He said that he may well send Versaki to France for his next run.

There is racing at Goodwood on Friday, when the fixture is the first of four Friday evening meetings in June.