All Roads Lead To Ascot: The Astrologist Arrives in UK

The Astrologist  has already arrived in Newmarket to begin his preparation for an appearance at Royal Ascot in June with his prep race inked in for next month in the 1895 Duke Of York Stakes (G2).

The 6-year-old went close to scoring on his first trip outside Australia when second in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at Meydan last month, and flew into Britain from Dubai April 6.

Those travel plans mean The Astrologist has avoided a 40-day quarantine period, which he would have had to undertake were he to have flown home first before coming to Britain.

Assistant trainer Dom Sutton said: "The Astrologist came straight here from Dubai and flew over last Thursday. With the quarantine situation, it made sense to come straight here, and potentially we are here for three months.

"He's had a couple of very light mornings since then, just stretching his legs, and we're stabled at Marco Botti's yard, where they're making us very welcome."

On The Astrologist's campaign to date, Sutton added: "He started off in Australia with two lead-up runs, including in the Newmarket Handicap. He then flew to Dubai, where he ran a super race in the Al Quoz Sprint to be second to one of the locals, and got the invite for Royal Ascot after that.

"He's likely to have the Duke Of York Stakes as his lead-up run before Royal Ascot. He has a lot of tactical speed and likes to be up with the pace, and he likes the flat six furlongs at Flemington, so it sounds like York may well suit him."

Initially, there was some confusion concerning The Astrologist joining Botti, but that is not the case.

Sutton said: "On Dubai World Cup night there was a bit of excitement and it wrongly came out that The Astrologist would join Marco. Nathan Bennett, who runs the syndicate, already has Ardakan with him. However, the horse is still trained by Leon and Troy Corstens, he's just being stabled at Prestige Place."

Having successfully negotiated one overseas trip, The Astrologist looked fit and well on Newmarket Heath Saturday morning.

Sutton said: "Dubai was his first trip away from home, but we knew he traveled okay as he'd done so within Australia.

"He ran in Western Australia last year, where he won a group 3, so we knew he'd be okay on a plane, which is just as well as the flight from Australia to Dubai is 14 hours. It was a big effort from the horse to handle everything so well."