US jockey Mike Smith makes royal appointment

MIKE Smith, the American Hall of Fame jockey, is set to cross the Atlantic next week to ride at humble Folkestone in order to tee up an audacious bid to get to Royal Ascot, which celebrates its 300-year anniversary next month.

Such is the draw of Royal Ascot's pomp and history that Smith, who has ridden winners with over $200 million in prize money, is willing to ride Gentlemans Code at Folkestone in a low-grade maiden worth just 3,500.

Gentlemans Code is trained by Wesley Ward, who in 2009 became the first American trainer to win at the Royal Meeting when he saddled the 33-1 shot Strike The Tiger to victory. A day later, Ward sent out Jealous Again to win.

"I have never ridden in Britain before and to get an opportunity like this is exciting," Smith. "Hopefully, if the horse runs well I will get to ride him at Royal Ascot. I will go all out with the top hat and tails - if you are going to attend you've got to do it right. Usually I've got to get suits tailored so I might have to swing by Savile Row."

Although the 45-year-old has raced in Japan, Dubai and Hong Kong, Europe has generally eluded him except for a ride aboard Fourstars Allstar in the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 1991 when he became the first US-based American to win a European Classic. He has been trying to find a way back ever since.

"That win was very early on in my career, so it would probably have meant more to me now than it did then," he continued. "I was hoping my Guineas win might lead to something but it never has. There was a chance when we were going to run Lure, who had won back-to-back Breeders Cup races in the 90s, but something went wrong with his quarantine and it never really worked out. At this stage of my career to get an opportunity like this is amazing."

Smith's immediate thoughts, however, turn to tomorrow's Preakness Stakes, the second leg of America's Triple Crown, in which he rides Astrology. After the Preakness, which he last won in 1993 aboard Prairie Bayou, he will fly direct from Baltimore to London and will return to California next Friday. "Astrology has got a decent chance, but we drew the one hole. He's 15-1 now and will probably go off 12-1. We will see how we go." Smith recently split from Chantal Sutherland, a fellow jockey and his co-star in Jockeys, the Animal Planet reality series. Smith will be forever associated with one female, however, Zenyatta. The 45-year-old partnered 2010's Horse of the Year to 16 consecutive victories before an agonising defeat by a head in the Breeders' Cup Classic in November.

With Sutherland no longer by his side, Smith is now a free agent and with one woman grabbing the headlines during last month's Royal Wedding he is hopeful that Royal Ascot might throw up a chance encounter.

"I'm hoping while I'm visiting next week to pick up any other rides I can for Ascot. If all goes well I'll ride Royal Ascot all five days. I'm hoping I'll get to meet Pippa Middleton there. She's some good looking gal."

Meanwhile, Musselburgh stages its first Friday evening meeting of the summer flat season tonight, clearing the decks for the Radio Forth Boogie Night meeting with feature race the 10,000 Canaccord Genuity Handicap.

Run over one mile six furlongs, this Class 4 event was won by the Tim Easterby-trained Jackday in 2010 and, despite the presence of several course specialists in the ten runner line up, the Malton trainer is hoping to gain a follow-up success with Bollin Greta.Judged on her impressive reappearance win over Hallstatt at Nottingham, the mare seems better than ever and, with stable jockey David Allan in the saddle, Bollin Greta is taken to account for course winners Gordonsville and Chookie Hamilton.

Violent Velocity will be a warm order to outpace Jewelled Dagger in the Apprentice Handicap at 6.30.

Bryan Smart has a profitable strike rate in two year old races at Musselburgh and he is fancied to extend his winning sequence with the debutant Exceedance in the EBF Maiden Stakes, while the veteran sprinter Highland Warrior could be the one to beat in the Bernard Hunter Crane Hire Handicap. Dropped into selling grade, Paul Midgley's 12-year-old can defy top weight. Highland Warrior showed a clean pair of heels to Clear Ice in better company at Beverley last time out and is bidding to register his sixth success at the East Lothian course.

Verinco only narrowly failed to make all at Musselburgh last time and is the choice in Catterick's Derek Jones 60th Birthday Handicap.

The five-year-old made a bold bid from the front that day after well over three months off the track and he was only edged out of it near the line. Going down by just half a length, Verinco showed plenty of pace and should be a touch fitter for this event.