New Zealand-bred sprinters Joy And Fun (Cullen) and Little Bridge (Faltaat) are set to take their place in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) on the opening day of Royal Ascot on June 19.

The Hong Kong-trained pair have arrived in English and their respective trainers Derek Cruz and Danny Shum have downplayed minor setbacks, with Joy And Fun (NZ) suffering a bruised heel and Little Bridge (NZ) spiking a temperature after travelling.

“Joy And Fun is a trojan with all the major injuries he has had – a fractured wither, shoulder problems, a broken cannon bone,” Cruz said.  “What else can you throw at him?  He’s a war horse.

“His foot injury is settling down, it is coming along nicely and he is moving a lot better.  He is right up to the mark and he produced two very good pieces of work before he left.”

Joy and Fun is currently at Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Newmarket stable and is being overseen by Cruz’s son Trevor, with the Hong Kong trainer set to arrive in Newmarket on Monday.

Little Bridge is forward in condition and won’t require much fine tuning after winning his last two starts in Hong Kong.  “He just had a minor fever when he arrived in England because of the travel,” Shum said.  “But the next day he was back to normal and everything is fine.  He’s almost ready, I might give him one gallop.”

Joy And Fun was bred by Cambridge accountant Scott Williams and is out of the outstanding broodmare Gin Player (Defensive Play).  She is also the dam of G1 winning mare Zarita (Pentire) and G2 winner Run Like The Wind (Pins).

Little Bridge was bred by Wentwood Grange and is out of the Gold Brose mare Golden Rose.  Both horses are graduates of the NZ Bloodstock Weanling Sale.  Joy And Fun was  secured for $15,000 while Little Bridge changed hand s for just $9,000.