A final field of seven has been declared for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday - check out the latest declarations.
Royal Ascot 2020, Day Two, Tuesday June 17
Click here for Wednesday's Royal Ascot fast card
- 1.15 - Silver Royal Hunt Cup Handicap, 1m
- 1.50 - Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3), 1m2f
- 2.25 - King George V Stakes (Handicap), 1m4f
- 3.00 - Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1), 1m2f
- 3.35 - Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Str), 1m
- 4.10 - Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed), 5f
- 4.40 - Copper Horse Handicap, 1m6f
A final field of seven has been declared for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
Aidan O'Brien is represented by Juddmonte International winner Japan, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The William Haggas-trained Addeybb is already a dual Group One victor this year, having picked up two top-level prizes in Australia.
John Gosden has two representatives in the shape of Brigadier Gerard Stakes hero Lord North and the filly Mehdaayih, whose efforts last season included a runner-up finish in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.
Roger Charlton's Headman has two Group Two wins to his name and seeks a first top-class triumph, while Charlie Appleby runs Barney Roy and Andrew Balding will saddle Bangkok.
Appleby believes Barney Roy will relish stepping back up in distance in the Group One contest, which forms part of the 35-race QIPCO British Champions Series.
If successful, the Godolphin-owned six-year-old would become the oldest winner since Muhtarram in 1995, and one of the most unusual in Royal Ascot’s rich history given his background.
Barney Roy won the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal Meeting in 2017, when trained by Richard Hannon, and was subsequently runner-up in the Coral-Eclipse, when beaten a nose by Ulysses, before finishing third behind the same horse in the Juddmonte International at York.
He was retired to stud at the end of that year but fertility issues curtailed his career as a stallion and, after being gelded, he was returned to training with Appleby. He has since won three of his five races and on his latest start he won the Group 1 Jebel Hatta, sponsored by Emirates Airline, in impressive style at Meydan.
Appleby said: “His previous two starts this year were over nine furlongs in Dubai but I’ve always felt that stepping him up in trip would bring about more improvement.
“I know he's been over the trip before, in the Eclipse and Juddmonte International, but for me he's an older and stronger horse than he was then. On the back of his runs this year, I think he goes there in good shape and we are looking forward to going back to Ascot with him, where we know he's been a past winner at the Royal Meeting.”
Barney Roy failed to make an impact in last year’s Queen Anne Stakes, when favourite, but Appleby says there were mitigating circumstances.
“He had two quickish runs beforehand having had a long lay-off and been to stud,” he said. “That wasn’t ideal and, at Group One level, he also ran as if he needed to step up in trip. We put him away for the rest of the year with Dubai very much his target and I couldn't have been more pleased with his two starts out there this year. Unfortunately, there was no Dubai Turf for him [the race scheduled for the end of March was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic] and after that the plan always to come to the Prince of Wales’s.
“He's not a horse who needs a lot of training and it’s obvious he goes well fresh. He’s in good order.”
Appleby and Godolphin also had the option of running their star performer Ghaiyyath, impressive all-the-way winner of the Coronation Cup at Newmarket this month, but he will instead run next in the Coral-Eclipse, another QIPCO British Champions Series race, at Sandown next month. He is set for an absorbing clash with ten-time Group One winner Enable in that race.
“We've had a bit of friendly banter with John Gosden [the trainer of Enable] about that,” Appleby said with a smile. “Whether I've done the right thing or not, we will see.”
Among the 20-strong field for Wednesday's Windsor Castle Stakes are two runners for American trainer Wesley Ward, with Frankie Dettori aboard Sunshine City and Oisin Murphy booked for Sheriff Bianco.
O'Brien also has two runners, including impressive Curragh scorer Chief Little Hawk.
The Hampton Court Stakes has attracted eight starters, with Dettori taking the mount on First Receiver for Sir Michael Stoute in the colours of the Queen.
Ryan Moore rides Russian Emperor for O'Brien and Roger Teal's Kenzai Warrior gets the chance to put behind him an unfortunate 2000 Guineas run, where a slow start did the previously-unbeaten colt no favours.
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