The 52-year-old native of Dallas, Texas, and 11-time Breeders’ Cup winner, is delighted with the horses he is receiving from Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and his Shadwell operation.

“It’s a tremendous-looking group of horses and a real tribute to the programme,” Pletcher said. “They’re not only well-bred, but very good-looking individuals. The ones that we got in from Kiaran were in excellent condition. We’re starting to get a few in from South Carolina and those are looking well. We’re excited about the opportunity and are very enthused about training for Sheikh Hamdan and Shadwell.”

A quartet of colts whose names all happen start with the letter ‘A’ highlight Pletcher’s new recruits. These include recent maiden-placed Ajhar and Ashiham, as well as unraced new arrival Ashaab and Grade 2-placed Ajaaweed, who is scheduled to return to action in the autumn.

Ajhar, an $800,000 Keeneland September 2018 purchase and son of Tapit and Grade 2 winner Jojo Warrior, was an unlucky third, hitting the gate at the stalls on May 2 over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park.

Ashiham also an $800,000 son of Tapit (and a grandson of Horse of the Year Azeri), was an eye-catching second on April 25 over seven furlongs.

Ashaab is by Tapit and out of stakes-winning Danzig mare Wasseema. Ajaaweed is by Curlin and was second in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct in December before returning with a respectable third in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs last February.

“Ajaaweed is back at Shadwell (Farm in Kentucky) getting a little break after a minor setback, so hopefully we see him in the fall of the year,” Pletcher reported.

“With Ajhar” Pletcher continued, “I’m honestly a little disappointed that we didn’t get the job done, as he’s trained really well, but he missed the break a touch and our strategy from the one-hole in a mile and sixteenth race was to try to be prominent. He ran a respectable third, but there’s more there.”

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The gelded son of Dark Angel returned to Hills’ yard in mid-March and has been incrementally amplifying his preparation.

“He’s come back very well,” Hills said. “He was a little more wintry than last year, but the last couple weeks, his coat has really been coming through. He’s physically done well and I’m happy with him. He’s had one swinging canter and we’re just trying to keep him ticking over. He’s not a big horse, so he doesn’t take as much training and is a good, clean-winded type.”

In 2019, the 126-rated sprinter won three of his five races, including an impressive performance in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, annihilating the course record by 1.4 seconds, as he stopped the clock at 55.90 seconds for five furlongs.

Earlier in the season, he was runner-up for the second consecutive year to subsequently crowned champion sprinter Blue Point in Royal Ascot’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes.

This year, the multiple Group 1 winner of 10 races from 20 lifetime runs and whose 136 Timeform rating makes him the top-rated horse in Europe, will hope to make it third time lucky in the King’s Stand, but without a prep race.

“The race we would use has been abandoned,” said Hills, “so we’ll go straight to Ascot. I don’t think anyone knows how it will all happen, but hopefully they do run it and all goes well. He should stay fresher later on into the year and we’ll be able to keep him going well, hopefully.”

Hills is also excited about his 2-year-olds who will carry the Sheikh Hamdan silks this season:

“I am really happy with the ones I’ve seen. A son of Ghanaati arrived a couple weeks ago and he looks like a really nice horse. He’s the best-looking of any of hers that I’ve seen. I’m really happy with them.”

Ghanaati won the Group 1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and later took the Coronation (Group 1) before placing in two other races at the highest level, the Sussex Stakes against males and the Sun Chariot against older fillies and mares. Her offspring include 2019 Royal Ascot winner Afaak and Mahab Al Shimaal (Group 3) winner Wafy.

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