The Carlburg Stables supremo takes the wraps off his Royal Ascot runners, featuring Wolferton favourite Enfjaar and Hunt Cup market leader My Cloud. By Tony Elves Roger Varian is not renowned for trying to make his geese swans when casting his eye over the Royal meeting and invariably picks up a winning prize at Royal Ascot. Charyn was the star of the show for the Newmarket trainer last year when maintaining his impressive victory roll in the Queen Anne Stakes and that was a fourth successive year that Varian had returned home to Newmarket with a first prize. King Of Steel (King Edward VII Stakes), Royal Champion (Wolferton Stakes) and Eldar Eldarov (Queen’s Vase) had been the scorers over the previous three years and his team always needs more than a second look. Varian said: “We are looking at Ascot from January and trying to target races at the meeting. It is a very important meeting for us. We don’t have masses running but I think they all deserve to be going there.” With the big five days now fast approaching Roger, kindly talked to Tony Elves of attheraces.com about his contenders. Older Horses ELMALKA Winner of two of her 8 starts and currently rated 111. Winner of the 1000 Guineas in 2024 when beating Porto Fortuna a neck and has run well in high class company since, Finished runner-up, beaten four and a half lengths, to Cinderella's Dream in the Group  2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket (1m 1f) on her reappearance in May and subsequently fifth, beaten five and a half lengths, to Sosie in the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp (1m 1f) later that month. “She will run on Wednesday in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. She is in great form and has run two nice races this year. I think the return to one mile on a stiff course like Ascot will really suit her and we would be excited about running her.” ENFJAAR Winner of four of his 11 starts and currently rated 109. Finished fifth, beaten seven and a quarter lengths, to Almaqam in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes on his reappearance at Sandown (1m 2f) in May. “He is a lovely horse, and the Wolferton Stakes has been his plan all along. He ran a lovely race in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown three weeks ago and didn’t disgrace himself. He got a little bit tired and will come forward for that race and I think ten furlongs round a track like Ascot will suit him lovely. He has always been a nice horse on the gallops and is in rude health at the moment so he we are looking forward to seeing him run.” FANTASTIC FOX Winner of five of his 33 starts and currently rated 94. Probably best effort this term when runner-up, beaten a length, to Storm Star in a handicap at Newcastle (1m) in January off a mark of 94. Finished ninth, beaten five and a quarter lengths, to Wild Tiger in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot (1m) last year. “He needs some rain if he is to run in the Hunt Cup, but it is very dry at the moment and would probably not run in the circumstances.” FRENCH DUKE Winner of one of his 6 starts and currently rated 99. Off the mark with a neck victory from Lord Of Love in a handicap at Goodwood (1m 4f) last July off a mark of 88 and finished runner-up, beaten three lengths, to The Reverend in a similar event at Ascot (1m 4f) in September off a mark of 97. “He could go for the Duke of Edinburgh on Friday. He had a little hiccup just before York’s Dante Festival which meant he missed his prep run which is not ideal. Having said that, he is training lovely, and we have earmarked this race since September last year. He has the right profile for the race and I’m slightly disappointed I didn’t get the prep run into him, but he will go there with his profile suiting the race and we are very happy with his work.” MY CLOUD Winner of three of his 5 starts and currently rated 95. Progressing nicely and has won both of his starts this season. Impressive when beating Mythical Guest three and a half lengths in an apprentice handicap at Ascot (1m) in April off a mark of 80 and followed up with a head defeat of Boyfriend in a valuable handicap at Newbury (1m) in May off a mark of 90. “He is a lovely horse, and he is progressing nicely. We hope he just creeps into the Royal Hunt Cup and he has the Hunt Cup and the Buckingham Palace as his options. Hopefully, he can go over the mile in the Hunt Cup. He is a lovely horse who is still progressing and has only had five lifetimes starts. He is one we are looking forward to running and I think the race will suit him. It wasn’t much of race that he won at Ascot in April, but he won it nicely and it can’t do him any harm going back there.” QAZAQ Winner of three of his 4 starts and currently rated 92. Gained his third career success when beating Magnum Opus a short head in a handicap at Southwell (1m) in November off a mark of 89. Finished sixth, beaten four and three quarter lengths, to Storm Star in a handicap at Newcastle (1m) on New Year’s Day off his current mark when last seen in action. “He will go for the Buckingham Palace Stakes on Thursday. Again, he missed his prep race, but he is training nicely, and he is very unexposed.” Three-Year-Olds JACKKNIFE Winner of one of his 2 starts and currently rated 105. Made a winning debut in a novice at Epsom (1m 1/2f) in April when beating The King’s Falcon a neck and creditable effort in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown (1m) at the end of May when third, beaten three and a quarter lengths, to Opera Ballo. “He is a possibility for the Hampton Court on Thursday and we will work him on Friday morning and decide after that. He is a very nice horse who lacks experience but has all the makings of a nice horse. We think ten furlongs on decent ground will be his ticket.”   RAHIEBB Winner of one of his 4 starts and currently rated 92. Finished runner-up, beaten two and a half lengths, to Merchant in a handicap at York (1m 4f) in May off a mark of 90. “He will most likely run in the Queen’s Vase on Wednesday - a mile six Group 2. He has done nothing but improve and was second in his last three starts after winning on his debut but the form reads well. It was a very good performance giving William Haggas’s Merchant 8lb at York on his last start. I think he will be very well suited to the step up in trip. He could run a nice race.” SADDADD Winner of two of his 4 starts and currently rated 100. Solid effort in a novice at Newbury (1m 2f) in April when runner-up, beaten three and a half lengths, to Gethin and returned to winning form in a handicap over that course and distance in May when scoring by a neck from Lightening Mann off a mark of 95. “Saddaadd is a lovely horse, but I am not sure I will risk him on fast ground. He has an entry in the Hampton Court on Thursday and the Golden Gates on Saturday as options, but we might not go anywhere if we think it’s a bit quick for him. He is a very good tough horse.” TEROOMM Winner of three of his 4 starts and currently rated 96. Most progressive sort who completed a hat trick when keeping on well to beat Tilted Kilt three quarters of a length at Haydock (1m) in May off a mark of 90. “Teroomm will run in the Britannia, and he has won all three starts this year. He is in great form and the stiff mile on fast ground will be right up his street.”