New Pearl still in Coventry mix

Connections of New Pearl are upbeat about the colt’s chance in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday – despite an odds-on reverse last time out.

Trained by David Brown, who won the Windsor Castle Stakes at the big meeting 12 months ago with Frederick Engels, the son of Acclamation was beaten at 1-6 at Pontefract earlier this month.

He had, however, impressed when wining on his debut at Newmarket, and David Redvers, racing manager for Pearl Bloodstock, revealed his trainer had not lost the faith.

Redvers also ran through the rest of the Royal plans for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani’s increasingly-prominent operation, which include an appearance for Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden.

Redvers said: “We’ll have Side Glance in the Queen Anne and two in the Coventry – New Pearl who David Brown believes is every bit as good as Frederick Engels, and Englishman, who Sheikh Fahad just bought a large share of from Peter Winkworth.

“There’ll be one in the Windsor Castle, Pay Freeze, who is with Mick Channon.

“That’s just on Tuesday. Dunaden will be in the Hardwicke later in the week and Upward Spiral for Tom Dascombe in the Queen Mary.”