Jonquil may have set up Lockinge tilt after Paradise win

Jonquil served a reminder of his class with an impressive victory in the Memberships At Ascot Paradise Stakes at Ascot.

Andrew Balding’s four-year-old was an early-season scorer last term when winning the Greenham before rattling the crossbar in the French 2000 Guineas, and the 100-30 joint-favourite proved best fresh once again as he emerged from winter quarters in style.

Ridden with confidence by Juddmonte number one Colin Keane, the son of Lope De Vega showed a race-winning turn of foot to scoot home a cosy length and a quarter clear of Karl Burke’s proven performer Holloway Boy. Owen Burrows’ Remmooz was back in third.

Balding said: “Colin did a beautiful job and got him switched off and as he showed in the Greenham last year and in the French Guineas, he’s a high-class horse when things go right for him.

“He’s talented and although he was a bit in and out last year, when he was good he ran cracking races in ones that take some winning.

“Hopefully we can get some fast ground later in the year and land a big one. He was good early in the season last year and the way he has found his form in the last month at home would suggest maybe he is better at this time of year. But he did have a tough campaign last year through no fault of his own.

“If we get a clear run now, hopefully he will prove he is a decent horse.”

This race is often used as a teaser for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot but with the owners forced to rule star miler Field Of Gold out of the Boyle Sports Lockinge later this month, a trip to Newbury could prove a logical next port of call for Jonquil.

“The Lockinge would be an obvious next step if the owners want to do that,” said Balding after Paddy Power made his colt 16-1 from 50s for the one-mile feature.

“I’ll have a discussion with the Juddmonte team and I do think fast ground is important to him which will be a factor. But I think he deserves a go at another Group One at some stage.”