Witch Hunter earns Royal Ascot trip with Lockinge effort

Richard Hannon’s Witch Hunter has a Queen Anne aim after his gallant placed run in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

The five-year-old is a reliable campaigner who scaled new heights when claiming a Group Two success last season, with that Hungerford Stakes victory likely inspiring a course and distance return at the weekend.

Fifth behind Charyn in the bet365 Mile on his seasonal debut at Sandown in late April, the gelding was then third at Listed level when contesting the Spring Trophy at Haydock.

In against proven Group One horses, he was a 22-1 chance under Sean Levey on return to Newbury for the Lockinge, where the market just favoured John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral over Maurizio Guarnieri’s Big Rock.

The eventual winner was none of the above, however, as the Gosden and Cheveley Park second string Audience prevailed at 22-1, having run into an unassailable lead when trying to set the pace for his stablemate Inspiral.

Behind him was Charyn, who diligently gave chase, and in third was Witch Hunter, another 22-1 chance who notably outran his odds.

With another solid run over a mile under his belt, Witch Hunter will now be aimed at the Queen Anne Stakes over the same trip at Royal Ascot in June.

“He ran a super race, it was a bit of a strange race in the end but I was very pleased with him,” said Hannon.

“He was the best of the rest on his side of the race, he ran a super race and I’m sure his day will come.

“We’ll look at the Queen Anne for him, definitely.”