Leading Queen Mary hope Lady Iman unlikely to run

Lady Iman, a leading fancy for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, is not a definite runner.

Trainer Ger Lyons is considering other options for the unbeaten Starman filly, with the Balanchine Stakes on June 28 at the Curragh – better known as the Airlie Stud Stakes – a likely target before she steps up to Group One class.

“I’ll talk to the owners before I make the entry or not but as we stand I can only tell you that my understanding is we might stay at home for the Balanchine/Phoenix/Moyglare or Cheveley Park later on, that’s the route we are thinking at the minute,” Lyons told the Nick Luck Daily podcast.

“She’s in good order, she’s been push-button for me and I know I’ll get slated by the perceived experts for not lining up in Ascot but anybody who knows me knows Ascot is not the be-all-and-end-all for me, it’s all about the future of the horse going forward.”

One who Lyons is taking over the water is Babouche, winner of the Phoenix Stakes last year and a horse who impressed when winning at Naas last time out.

“I’m never confident. Babouche is a star and if she never runs again she owes us all nothing,” said Lyons.

“I loved what she did at Naas, is that good enough? I don’t know.

“It’s a very strong race and I’d be very worried of the Godolphin horse (Shadow Of Light) who was placed in the Guineas dropping back and there’s more than that.

“Then you need luck in running. I wouldn’t be overly confident with my string at the moment, the way they are performing.

“I wouldn’t be jumping up and down about my string heading into Ascot, I’d rather be in a better frame of mind with them but if I’m happy with them I’ll send them.”