Able Friend must bring A-game to prove his class at Royal Ascot

He may not be favourite, but star chestnut can prove he's world's best miler - if he displays best form

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Richard Hoiles

Published: 10:00pm, 13 Jun 2015Updated: 8:48pm, 13 Jun 2016

"We are here to prove Able Friend is the best in the world."

Those were the words of George Moore, son of trainer John Moore, at a pre-Royal Ascot press conference on Thursday. On Tuesday, when the highest-rated Hong Kong horse of all time lines up in the Queen Anne Stakes over the straight mile, he has the opportunity to do just that.

For local disciples who have got used to the procession of top-class victories at short odds, it will seem sacrilege that Able Friend is not even the favourite. Does this reflect the size of the task he faces or just that the rest of the world does not yet fully appreciate the monster they are about to witness?

For local disciples who have got used to the procession of top-class victories at short odds, it will seem sacrilege that Able Friend is not even the favourite

The equine opposition is headed by Solow, rated just one pound inferior in the international rankings off the back of his victory in Dubai. He has an unusual profile, having started off in longer trips and then been gelded before now seeming to find his niche around a mile.

He can be said to still be improving but his back catalogue does not yet have the depth of Able Friend's and he has benefitted from a rusty The Grey Gatsby in Dubai and a below-par Cirrus des Aigles last time in France. It could be argued that the Queen Anne represents just as big a test for Solow as Able Friend in cementing his reputation as world-class.

Of the home challenge, the credentials on paper of dual Group One winner Night of Thunder are impressive. Winners of the 2000 Guineas and Lockinge Stakes are clearly no slouches, but the Guineas was a strange race where they split into two and favourite Kingman showed his hand a bit early.

At Ascot last year when Kingman was held on to longer, Night of Thunder was firmly put in his place and my feeling is the older milers this year in the UK will be very vulnerable when crossing swords later in the season with the likes of Gleneagles from this year's Classic crop. If so, they will all struggle to cope with Able Friend at his best.

In fact, it is likely the challenge of reproducing his Hong Kong performances, rather than any of his opponents, will prove Able Friend's greatest task.