Jonathan Portman is hoping he can hit the bulls-eye with his only dart at this week's Royal Ascot, with the veteran trainer out to break his group 1 duck when 6-year-old gelding Rumstar tackles the King Charles III Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds and older sprinting 5 furlongs.
The 60-year-old joined the training ranks 28 years ago and enjoyed a career-best campaign in terms of winners and prize-money in 2025. However, it is a victory at the highest level that he craves the most. He hopes to put that record straight this week with his stable star in Tuesday's group 1 sprint scheduled for 3:40 p.m. local time (10:40 a.m. ET).
"All my friends, who I started in this business with, seem to have group 1 winners and I'm the only one who hasn't," Portman said. "So I'd quite like to join their club before I'm too much older. It would be amazing to win it—I certainly don't want to wait another 28 years! I think Rumstar deserves to win at a higher level and it's something we all want rather badly."
Portman's only success at Royal Ascot came when Annecdote landed the Sandringham Handicap in 2013 and Rumstar will be the Lambourn trainer's sole opportunity to add to that win at this year's meeting.
"I don't think you're meant to enjoy preparing any horse for this sort of level. I just want everything to go right," he said. "But I know I'd enjoy going there the next day if people were patting me on the back and saying, 'You've just won a group 1'".
The 6-year-old, owned by Vincent and Russell Ward, was sent off at 10-1 before finishing 14th in the same race last year. On that occasion he had two prep runs, but Portman has reduced it to one this term when Rumstar finished an encouraging second in the Palace House Stakes (G3) at the Guineas meeting in February to open his fifth season of racing.
"We're very pleased with his condition and demeanor," the trainer said. "We've kept him fresh from Newmarket and, at the minute, we're delighted with him. You never know until you get there, but he seems to be in a good place at the moment.
"It was a fantastic comeback and he ran as well in defeat as he had done when winning the same race the previous year. It was just unfortunate he had to come off his intended line briefly, which was probably the half a length he was beaten in the Palace House, but the winner [Night Raider] has franked the form since."
Priced between 11-1 and 18-1 for Tuesday's group 1 contest, Rumstar will break from stall four in a field of 26 under regular rider Rob Hornby and his trainer is hoping there will be no excuses on the day.
"You need so much luck," he said. "He's sometimes been troubled with his starts and you want everything to go right from the stalls and for him to be produced at the right time. It's whatever happens on the day with these sprint races. When he's won, everything has gone right; when he hasn't, things haven't gone well. And you have to expect that every now and again."
Overpass, twice a winner at the top level in Australia, heads the betting at 3-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes.
Aussies Joliestar, Overpass Favored in Royal Ascot Sprints
The King Charles III is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race, awarding a fees-paid "Win & You're In" berth to the Turf Sprint (G1T).
