Oxfordshire-based horse racing trainer Eve Johnson Houghton is vying to record her first success at Royal Ascot this year. The dual-purpose trainer has three entries at the royal meeting this year.
Johnson-Houghton picked up the licence at her stable from her father, Fulke Johnson-Houghton, in 2007. The legendary trainer won two British Classics in his career before retiring, so the family are familiar with success in some of the sport’s biggest races.
Jumby To Face World’s Leading Sprinters
Six-time winning sprinter Jumby has progressed to the highest level over the last few years in the sprint division. He is set for the biggest test of his career at Royal Ascot 2024, as he has been entered in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. He is 50/1 in the racing betting UK for the 6f contest.
Johnson-Houghton’s runner will be taking on some of the best sprinters in the world, including Australian mare Chain Of Lightning, who is the 7/1 favourite Royal Ascot 2024 betting for the Group One race.
The six-year-old won the Group Three John Of Gaunt Stakes last season. He warmed up for Royal Ascot with an appearance in the Victoria Cup at Ascot earlier in the campaign. Johnson-Houghton is confident that run will have sharpened him up for his shot at the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Mister Sketch Taking on Own Age Group Commonwealth Cup
As a two-year-old novice, Mister Sketch emerged as one of the most promising sprinters of his age group last season. He broke his maiden on his second start at Salisbury, prevailing empathically by just over nine lengths.
On his final outing in 2023, the son of 2,000 Guineas runner-up Territories, finished a close second in the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. That was a big performance from Johnson-Houghton’s colt.
Mister Sketch has yet to show the same level of form in his three-year-old campaign as he did last season. However, the Oxfordshire-based trainer will be hoping he has saved his best performance for the Commonwealth Cup. The 6f race is the leading three-year-old sprint contest of the meeting so it would be a huge event to win.
Indian Run Entered in St James’s Palace Stakes
Three-year-old colt Indian Run won the Group Three Acomb Stakes at the Ebor Meeting at York last season. That victory elevated him up to Group One level, but he proved to be no match for City Of Troy in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on his final start of the campaign.
Johnson-Houghton’s promising colt will get another shot at Group One glory in the St James’s Palace Stakes. He is set to take on 2,000 Guineas winner Notable Speech and a host of well-bred Irish runners from Aidan O’Brien’s stable in that 1m race.
Indian Run will feature in the Heron Stakes at Sandown on Brigadier Gerard Evening on his final run before Royal Ascot. His trainer will be keen for him to produce a big performance at the Esher-based venue, reproducing something close to what he showed at York in 2023.
The 2024 Royal Ascot meeting takes place between 18-22 June, and it could turn out to be a great week for Johnson-Houghton.
