Sceptical Royal Ascot odds tumble as trainer eyes Tuesday target

Irish trainer Denis Hogan is daring to dream of Royal Ascot glory after his up-and-coming sprinter Sceptical delivered a virtuoso performance on his turf debut at Naas.

The four-year-old Godolphin cast-off has become one of the most engaging stories of the season with a near-meteoric rise in Ireland. He made his boldest statement so far when scorching clear of his rivals to win the Listed Woodlands Stakes at the Co Kildare track on Monday.

Sceptical’s display lit up the first day of racing’s return in Ireland and the Exceed and Excel gelding is now behind only the mighty Battaash in the betting for the King’s Stand Stakes at the Royal meeting this month.

Royal Ascot: Sceptical King’s Stand Stakes odds

Sceptical to win King’s Stand Stakes (Royal Ascot, 16 June) @ 5/1 with Paddy Power

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Sceptical: the story so far

Sceptical’s story has quickly turned from the mundane to the remarkable in five races.

Originally bought by Godolphin, he never made the racecourse in the famous royal blue silks of Sheikh Mohammed’s operation and was instead snapped up for a mere £2,800 by James McAuley at the sales in August last year before making his debut at Dundalk in October.

He was sent off at 25/1 for his maiden over 5f on the Polytrack and outran those odds to finish a close-up third.

Improvement was deemed likely and Sceptical duly raced as a 10/11 favour over 6f back at the same venue in November and ran out a very comfortable scorer in maiden company.

From there, the fireworks commenced in some style. In February he was back at Dundalk for a handicap debut from a mark of 90 and made light of his task to win again over the longer trip.

An 11lb rise was meted out and trainer Hogan put up claiming rider Joey Sheridan to take off 7lb of that hike for his fourth outing, back at 5f. It seemingly would have made little difference as Sceptical toyed with eight rivals and effortlessly cruised home more than six lengths clear.

That was in early March, just before racing’s enforced break, so there were plenty of eyes on him at Naas for his turf debut on Monday evening.

The horse’s connections stuck with Sheridan, despite the rider being unable to claim in the Listed event over 5½f, and they all enjoyed a real buzz as their rising star quickened clear inside the final furlong in really polished fashion to collect the £22,500 prize.

Hogan admits that Sceptical is the ‘best horse by far’ that he has trained and suggests the King’s Stand is the most likely option at Royal Ascot, although he has retained the option of taking in the Diamond Jubilee, for which Sceptical is a 10/1 chance.

A run over 5f in the King’s Stand offers the chance to take on Battaash, the standard-setter among the older generation of sprinters in Britain and Ireland currently and a dual Group 1 winner whose feats include setting a track record last summer in the Nunthorpe at York.

Charlie Hills’ six-year-old has finished second to Blue Point in the previous two renewals of the King’s Stand and, with the Godolphin inmate retired, might have felt the time was now his to gain a first career win at the famous Berkshire venue.

But just in time, a new kid has appeared on the block and, based on his winning effort at Naas, Sceptical could be the real deal. Hogan is rightfully excited and he hints that Sheridan might even get to keep the ride for Royal Ascot.

“He’s the best horse by far that I’ve ever had,” said the trainer. “I saw him doing a bit of work at Charlie Swan’s last Tuesday. I’ve seen a lot of horses go up that gallop and I've never seen a horse go up it as quick and powerful. He’s exciting and the kid on his back is exciting as well.”