De Sousa delighted to maintain Charyn partnership in Queen Anne

Silvestre De Sousa has an excellent opportunity to get himself back into the Royal Ascot winner’s circle for the first time in four years when he partners Charyn in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes.

Champion jockey in Britain three times between 2015 and 2018, the Brazilian has ridden seven winners at the sport’s showpiece meeting, his first being Namibian in the 2011 Queen’s Vase and his last victory coming aboard hot favourite Art Power in the 2020 Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap.

Following 17 years on the UK circuit, De Sousa made the move to Hong Kong in the late summer of 2022, a spell which was brought to an abrupt end after he was handed a 10-month suspension last May for breaching betting regulations.

The 43-year-old returned to Britain earlier this year in an attempt to rebuild his career and it has proved a resounding success, steering Charyn to big-race wins in the Doncaster Mile and bet365 Mile before claiming his first British Classic success aboard his stablemate Elmalka in the 1000 Guineas.

James Doyle is set to take over in the saddle aboard Elmalka in Friday’s Coronation Stakes, but De Sousa will be in action in Tuesday’s traditional curtain-raiser on Charyn, who since his successive wins in the early spring has finished second in the Lockinge at Newbury.

“I’m delighted connections have let me keep the ride and it’s a nice place to be – Ascot on the big stage,” said the jockey.

“The horse is in great form and I’m looking for a big day. Royal Ascot is a hard place to go with a horse with a chance, when you have a ride there with a chance it makes all the difference.

“He’s very well in himself and has won a Group race already this year. Our target is to win a Group One with him.”