NO race has been a better pointer towards the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot of late than Sunday’s Group 3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas, so don’t be surprised if this year’s Royal Ascot Trials Day card delivers more key pointers for the Royal Meeting. Paddy Twomey enters the weekend as one of the most in-form trainers in the country right now, and his Velozee rates a leading contender for the six-furlong fillies’ event.

After winning by a short-head on her Cork debut in early April, the daughter of Sioux Nation proved she was capable of flying a good deal higher when landing the Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh’s May Bank Holiday Monday fixture.

Now two from two, the €92,000 yearling purchase will bid to prove herself over further than her opening victories and faces stiffer opposition, such as Aidan O’Brien’s course maiden winner Victorious and Robson De Aguiar’s impressive Dundalk scorer Maria Quiteria - an imposing Churchill filly named after a heroic Brazilian soldier, who famously fought in her country’s War of Independence while dressed as a man.

Twomey told Naas Racecourse: “The emergence of Sioux Nation filly Velozee has been a real highlight of the early season, and she looks set to provide plenty more thrills for the newly formed partnership of Gary Matthews and Steve Weston.

“A winner on debut at Cork, she took a significant step forward when producing a hugely impressive performance at the Curragh. Carrying the Steve Weston silks, she travelled powerfully throughout before putting the race to bed with ease.

“Stepping up to six furlongs won’t be an issue and a trip to Naas is next on the agenda before attention turns towards Royal Ascot.”

The last three fillies to win the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes and run at Royal Ascot have each won the Albany Stakes: Meditate (Aidan O’Brien, 2022), Porta Fortuna (Donnacha O’Brien, 2023) and Fairy Godmother (Aidan O’Brien, 2024). In 2021, the runner-up, Quick Suzy, successfully dropped back to five furlongs to capture the Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal Meeting.

Aidan aces

Ballydoyle have been well able to use this Naas card as a launchpad towards the Berkshire spectacular, and many of their team of nine runners on the day have the five-day meeting in mind.

“We’re looking forward to Ascot Trials Day at Naas - it’s a great initiative and a very exciting day to bring everyone into Ascot,” said O’Brien.

“New Yorker runs in the Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Race (2.56) over five furlongs with a view to going to the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. We’ve declared Expanded for the Owenstown Stud Stakes (3.56) over seven furlongs with the plan of going to the Queen Anne Stakes afterwards.

“We’ve declared Victorious for the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes, hopefully looking towards the Albany Stakes with her a month later. Charles Darwin goes for the Goffs Lacken Stakes (4.56) with the aim of the Commonwealth Cup for three-year-olds at Ascot, and Mission Central will run in the Sole Power Sprint Stakes (5.26) with a view to taking on the older horses again at Ascot.”