Cunha expecting to lead the cheers with Arc Ole Ole
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Wed 17 Jun 2026
Dylan Cunha believes Arc Ole Ole represents his “best ever chance of a Royal Ascot winner” as the three-year-old bids to continue his steep upward curve in the King George V Stakes on Thursday.
A winner on his final juvenile start at Bath, the Study Of Man colt picked up where he left off with a narrow success at Doncaster on his reappearance and then fairly bolted up at York’s Dante Festival.
He has to contend with a 10lb rise in the weights for his big-race assignment on day three of the Royal meeting, but his trainer is confident his charge has not yet reached his ceiling.
He said: “He is in great form and I don’t think I will ever have a better chance of a Royal Ascot winner as he is still well handicapped. He is a good horse.
“I would have liked a bit of rain and a bit better luck with the draw (20) but he should be able to run on this ground and he should go very close.”
Asked whether he felt the colt was a handicap snip off 75 at York last time Cunha said: “Yes, 100 per cent. He is not a Group horse and he still has a long way to go but he is building into one.
“I hope the draw doesn’t scupper him. We will have to drop him in and ride him for luck but he is a lovely horse and I am really excited about him.”
Cunha is not alone in fielding a runner with a significant upside.
Owen Burrows saddled subsequent Group One winner Hukum to win this race off a mark of 90 back in 2020 and believes he has another live candidate in the form of Newbury maiden winner Heyzoom, who has crept in near the foot of the weights.
“He has a very light weight (8st 8lb) and his novice win from Newbury is working out quite well, so he could run a nice race,” said Lambourn-based trainer.
“I managed to win this race with Hukum and while he is not a Hukum there is improvement in this horse.
“He should like a race like this as he needs a bit of motivating so that should suit him well. I would like to think he could be bang there.”
The other three-year-old only handicap on the card is the Britannia Stakes and one trainer with a strong hand is is Clive Cox, who saddles Silver Bowl one-two Blue Courvoisier and Langstone.
Cox’s pair have gone up 9lb and 6lb respectively for that run in a race which was rescheduled from Haydock to Carlisle, but the trainer is hopeful they can prove ahead of their new marks.
He said: “Both horses have come out of the race really, really well, for all that both have taken a rise in the handicap from there.
“The one stall for Blue Courvoisier will be interesting as the week unfolds as to whether that is a plus or a minus, but I am happy he is in excellent form.
“Blue Courvoisier got a great ride from Saffie Osborne that day and got into a nice rhythm, which hopefully he can do again, while Langstone will appreciate the track here as long as it is not too dry.”
Middleham trainer Karl Burke aims to continue a fine run with his two-year-olds when he pits Revels against highly-touted Ballydoyle favourite Aix Le Chappelle in the opening Chesham Stakes.
“He’s a lovely Lope De Vega horse. I’m told Lope De Vega’s record with two-year-olds at Ascot is terrible as they don’t usually come to hand until after Ascot,” said Burke.
“But I have no qualms about running Revels there – he’s a good quality colt who won nicely at Redcar and he’ll improve loads on that. He’s working well and I’m looking forward to seeing him run.”
Another hoping to down the Irish favourite is Newmarket trainer George Scott, who runs current second-favourite Sea Venture, a winner at Haydock on her only start.
“She is a lovely filly and I was impressed with her first time out, albeit the ground was a bit softer,” said Scott.
“She has come forward for that and she is well drawn so she looks to have a chance in an open race.”
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