Having come up short twice at Royal Ascot, James Owen was pleased to see Aspect Island show his true colours when narrowly beaten in the City Walls Stakes at York last weekend and is now eyeing an appearance at Goodwood.
Third at the Breeders’ Cup on his final juvenile start, the three-year-old finished in midfield on his reappearance in Newmarket’s Abernant Stakes and was then a close-up third in the Westow Stakes at York in May.
He ran in the King Charles III Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting and while he struggled in both Group One sprints, he looked more at home back at Listed level on his return to the Knavesmire, going down by a neck to Redorange.
“He ran really well and bounced back to form at York,” said Owen.
“It just didn’t really happen for him at Royal Ascot over five furlongs and then we probably ran him back to quick when he went over six in the Commonwealth Cup.
“He looks like a five-furlong horse and the best of his form is over five furlongs, so he’ll go to Goodwood now for the King George Stakes.
“He’s come out of his run at York really well. He’s a horse who travels well through his races and he’s still learning as he goes. It’s hard for these three-year-old sprinters as they have to mix it with their elders, but he’s improving.”
