Her Majesty The Queen will receive further good news for her Platinum Jubilee Celebrations with John Gosden stating that her one-time Derby hope Reach For The Moon could make a return at Sandown Park on Thursday, May 19.
The Sea The Stars colt, owned by the Queen was fancied to end Her Majesty's wait for an Epsom Derby but suffered a setback after finishing second to Bayside Boy in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September
Yet, Reach For The Moon clearly still has ability and is entered for the Coral Heron Stakes on Thursday, ahead of a tilt at Royal Ascot glory in June.
Gosden, never one to rush a horse in its recovery, is taking a softly softly approach but the time looks to be drawing nearer for Reach For The Moon's return.
Gosden told Racing TV's Luck On Sunday programme: "We all know he sustained an injury last year and he was unable to go to the Dewhurst and he's been off for a long time.
"He's been back at the stud farm at Sandringham and they did the most fantastic job with him and he came back to us and we have very diligently and carefully gone along with him.
"From his work now, he's ready for a run, but I want to be very clear that he's only around 80-85 per cent. But if I don't run him in the Heron then we're in trouble to get him to Ascot because if you look at it, from his rating, the only other options are carrying top-weight in an older horse handicap, so it makes sense to run him at Sandown, which I hope to do at this stage. Sandown, right-handed with an uphill finish, is a well-worn path to Ascot."
Gosden has sent his last three winners of the Heron Stakes to the St James's Palace Stakes but the legendary trainer is not too proud to dismiss advice from the Queen on the ideal trip for Reach For The Moon.
Gosden continued: "I think if anything after speaking to Frankie (Dettori) after his work yesterday, he could be a mile-and-a-quarter horse, that is the feel he gets and he's a pretty shrewd judge at this stage of his young, burgeoning career.
"I think it would be the debate we would all be having, as Her Majesty points out, the mother was very, very, very quick."