How George Boughey is targeting quantity over quality at Royal Ascot
GEORGE BOUGHEY is targeting quantity over quality at this year’s Royal Ascot – as one of Britain’s best young trainers looks to truly mix it with the big boys.
Change is something Boughey is not afraid of in order to secure the results on the grandest stage of all.
He enjoyed two winners at the Royal jamboree in 2022 but drew a blank last year.
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Now the Newmarket trainer believes a change in mindset to quality over quantity can help see him back in the big time at Flat racing’s most prestigious event.
And focus will be switched to a more select team with genuine chances.
Boughey said: “Royal Ascot is our Cheltenham — and having horses who are competitive is what we want . . . and it is certainly what I want.
“Having horses mentioned going to Royal Ascot is all well and good — but I don’t want to run them for owners just so they can put their top hats on.”
Boughey, who only got his licence in 2019, started with just a handful of horses owned by family and close friends.
Just three years later he hit the headlines when Cachet won the 1,000 Guineas and Missed The Cut and Inver Park then followed up for the yard at Royal Ascot.
Now he has over 150 horses in his yard and is continuing to grow.
With that comes change and two time champion jockey William Buick will remain Boughey’s go-to man at the meeting.
But he intends to place more responsibility in the hands of last year’s champion apprentice Billy Loughnane, who he has joined forces with this term.
Boughey, 32, said: “Billy is very talented and our working relationship is going well.
“We go through every race and I find talking to him very easy. He is a real form student which helps and for me that is a huge part of it.
“He is the full package and he is a real team player.
“Last weekend he went up to Musselburgh and Hamilton for me and I got a picture sent to me of mucking out the horses at 6am. That is how hardworking he is.
“Billy has first preference outside of William Buick and it would be great if we had a Royal Ascot winner together.
“He has got a relationship with George Waud, who is the owner of Englemere, and he will ride her in the Queen Mary.
“She’s beaten a filly that has since bolted up and her only defeat was behind the filly that won the Marygate at York.
“She showed plenty of pace early on but she is getting faster and I think she has a live each way chance.”
While a late decision will be made over the participation of Chic Colombine in the Coronation Stakes, Fouroneohfever (King George V Stakes) and Pentle Bay (Chesham Stakes) will join Engelmere at the meeting.
He added: “It was a nail in the coffin for Chic Colombine in the French 1,000 Guineas when she was drawn 15 of 15.
“William said straight afterwards at Epsom in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes that Chic Colombine was an unlucky loser.
“I think she would have won well if she got out and we’re confident she can step up in grade. The Coronation is a possibility.
“Pentle Bay was a breeze up horse I got recently at Arqana and it didn’t surprise me what he did at Leicester.
“A race like the Chesham over seven should set up very well for him. He is a big scopey horse and I think we will look back in a few months time and think how did he win in June on his debut.
“I think Fouroneohfever is probably the best handicapper we have going there. I took him to Chester for the May meeting as a constitution test as much as anything. He handled that well and is a big raw horse.
“He is rated 90 and progressive.”
Boughey is keeping the door ajar for talented filly Believing to book her place in his Ascot team in today’s Achilles Stakes at Haydock.
He added: “This is the first time she will drop to five since being beaten in a Group 2 at Chantilly last year, but it is a distance I want to explore with her. I think she is a top class filly, but we will only go to Ascot if we think she has a chance.”
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