U.S. horses to race at Royal Ascot

American-trained horses will run at Royal Ascot for the first time ever next week.

Four U.S. horses, headed by Morluc, will run at the five-day meeting, which begins Tuesday.

Morluc, a Randy Morse-trained sprinter, will be ridden by Gary Stevens in the June 21 closing-day feature, the six-furlong Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes. Morluc departed Churchill Downs on Wednesday for Toronto, from where he will be flown to England, arriving at Geoff Wragg's Newmarket yard on Saturday morning. Morse is scheduled to arrive at Newmarket on Monday.

Florida-based Frenchman trainer Franck Mourier plans to run three at Royal Ascot. At a press conference on Wednesday, Mourier said that he will run America America, Parisienne, and Kate Winslet in three different juvenile stakes. Stevens is expected to ride all three fillies.

America's 1935 Triple Crown winner Omaha finished a short head second to Quashed in the 1936 Ascot Gold Cup, but he had already been turned over to Newmarket trainer Cecil Boyd-Rochfort.

Godolphin announced that its Dubai World Cup winner Moon Ballad will make his much-anticipated return at Royal Ascot in Wednesday's 1 1/4-mile Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes. He will run against his stablemate and World Cup fourth-place finisher Grandera.

Adding to Royal Ascot's international flavor will be Victory Moon. South African Mike de Kock, the former trainer of Ipi Tombe, will saddle his UAE Derby-winning Victory Moon in the one-mile, Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday, as a prep for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on July 26.

* The Aga Khan has decided to prepare both Dalakhani and Alamshar for the Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 29. It had been thought that one or the other would run in the 1 1/2-mile classic, but now both will be trained up to the race, although one of them could be withdrawn.

Dalakhani, impressive winner of the French Derby on June 1, remains undefeated after six starts. Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre in Chantilly, Dalakhani prefers good to firm ground. Alamshar, trained at The Curragh by John Oxx, was a length third to Kris Kin in the Epsom Derby on Saturday. He likes it good to yielding.