Wesley Ward continues Lady Aurelia build-up towards Royal Ascot

Last season’s runaway Queen Mary winner worked on turf in company with Bound For Nowhere over five furlongs and covered the distance in 1minute.00.80 seconds.

Lady Aurelia is the 9-2 favourite for the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot on June 20.

The daughter of Scat Daddy went on to step up in trip to win the Prix Morny at Deauville but suffered a reverse in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket, where it was reported she bled.

She returned with victory against older rivals in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes on turf at Keeneland last month, after which Ward dropped the idea of pitting her against her own age group in the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs.

"She had a great work today,” Ward said of Lady Aurelia after the workout. "We put her in front, like she usually does in her races, and she just kind of cruised around there."

Lady Aurelia will breeze once more in America before her departure for England on Tuesday.

Undrafted, who won the Diamond Jubilee in 2015, worked over four furlongs on his own in 48.40 seconds and was being pointed at the Wokingham Handicap but was not entered.

Ward also worked his juveniles. Fairyland and McErin worked a half-mile together in 48s. Fairyland is owned by the Coolmore syndicate and won her debut on dirt at Keeneland by three and a quarter lengths. McErin won his maiden on dirt last month by seven and a half lengths and will be aimed at the Norfolk.

Happy Like a Fool and Nootka Sound also worked a half-mile. Happy Like a Fool covered the distance in 48.60s, while Nootka Sound was caught in :48.80.

Ward bred and owns Happy Like a Fool, a filly by Distorted Humor who won her maiden by four lengths on the dirt at Keeneland on April 9. She will run in the Queen Mary, while Nootka Sound, a daughter of Australian sire Lonhro will aim to build on her stunning debut, which she won by five and a quarter lengths, in the Windsor Castle.