Donnacha O’Brien is hoping for her first Royal Ascot Duck triumph, with Shale heading the chase in the Coronation Stakes.
Donnacha O’Brien is hoping for her first Royal Ascot duck triumph, with Shale heading the chase in the Coronation Stakes.
The 22 is aiming for her first Royal Ascot triumph in her second season as a trainer; Shale will compete in the Coronation Stakes, while Masseto will compete in the Coventry Stakes. Every race at Royal Ascot will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing from June 15 to June 19.
Donnacha O’Brien, a young trainer from Ireland, is sending an interesting squad of horses to Royal Ascot next week, led by Coronation Stakes contender Shale.
O’Brien, 22, is only in his second full season as a trainer, but he already has three Group One triumphs to his name.
The former jockey, who now resides in Longfield, is aiming to add a Royal victory to his collection.
Shale, who won the Group one Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in September, will compete in the Coronation Stakes against Donnacha’s multiple Group One-winning father Aidan O’Brien.
Donnacha said to Sky Sports Racing: “At the moment, [the Coronation Stakes] is the plan. It’s been a rocky start to the season for her, but she’s looking forward to getting back on track.”
“She raced beautifully that day and I was really thrilled,” O’Brien said of Shale’s return race at Leopardstown, when the three-year-old placed sixth. She was supposed to travel to the Curragh, but it rained heavily, so we skipped it.
“It’s taken a long to find a race for her, but I believe a piece of beautiful ground at Ascot would be perfectly up her alley.”
