The King's Stand Stakes global clash between Highfield Princess, Britain's rags to riches mare, and Australia's flying filly Coolangatta, make for a mouthwatering start to the sprint division of the 2023 QIPCO British Champions Series at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
The King's Stand also offers the winner an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Santa Anita Park.
Highfield Princess looks to level the scores against overseas runners who have enjoyed 12 successes this millennium, with Australia contributing five, in the Group 1 feature.
Bragging rights are with Highfield Princess after an amazing five weeks last year when, as a five-year-old, she won three Group 1s in three different countries – the Maurice de Gheest in France, the Nunthorpe at York and Flying Five in Ireland – a far cry from being a lowly handicapper two years before.
That stunning treble came after royal meeting defeat for a second time in the Golden and then Platinum Jubilee, renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday this year.
Highfield Princess is returning for a fourth time, having given trainer John Quinn and jockey Jason Hart their first winner at the Royal Meeting with Buckingham Palace Stakes success in 2020.
Hart remembers that race well, as he said, “That was winning a handicap over seven furlongs before her massive step forward last year.”
Hart, looking for his second winner at Royal Ascot, added: “I don't think she needs to improve again on that to win. She is the deserved favourite but no horse is unbeatable bar Frankel. She's in good nick. I was really happy with her run at York where we couldn't have done any more but win. She always improves for her first run.
“It was nice to see her back on track and she has taken a step forward for the run – she wouldn't be a horse who would blow you away in her work at home.”
This year's Australian challenge differs from the past in that both challengers Coolangatta and Cannonball are three-year-olds rather than established older world leaders in the sprint division, like last year's dominant winner Nature Strip.
Coolangatta has two Group 1s on her CV, the most recent including having a lacklustre Nature Strip well behind in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February.
That win over a similarly straight sprint track to Ascot encouraged her trainers Ciaron Maher and Englishman David Eustace, son of retired Newmarket trainer James, to aim for the Royal Meeting.
Coolangatta showed she approved with a boisterous workout over the course and distance under new jockey James McDonald last week.
Maher said: “She has done everything I wanted and as smooth as it could be. James said it took him quite a while to pull her up and he was beaming about the work.
“She has really thrived since being here in the quiet surrounds of Lambourn.
She is good fresh, a filly still developing and I was keen to give her nice spacing into the race.”
Cannonball also tested Ascot in less flamboyant style last week and trainer Peter Snowden admitted his colt is coming in under the radar with no Group 1 success.
Snowden said: “He is inexperienced with a handful of starts but on potential alone in two starts for me he is above average, narrowly beaten in a Group 1 and probably should have won that after backing up quickly from his win.
“He has spades in speed and toughness and handled the 24-hour trip over like nothing. He is that laid back.”
John Ryan, with just 20 horses in his Newmarket stables, is living the dream with Manaccan as he looks for not only a first winner at the royal meeting but also a first Group 1.
When Manaccan's winning rider Stevie Donohoe moved to Mauritius this year, Ryan offered the ride to both Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore who had ridden Manaccan before.
“Frankie was quickest on the phone so got the ride!” said Ryan.
“It's a big ask taking on the best. As long as the ground stays as it is, he has every chance of mixing it with them. He's still going up the ladder, has a high cruising speed, quickens, has run three of his best races at Ascot and, touch wood, we've got the right man on board.
“I've been lucky enough to have a couple of Group 2 and 3 wins but haven't troubled the judge in a Group 1 yet.”
Dettori is looking to bridge a 29-year gap in the race with his only other success in the Group 1 provided by Lochsong in 1994.
Vadream, who beat Manaccan when they raced on opposite sides of the track in the Palace House at Newmarket, is among other contenders along with last year's runner-up Twilight Calls. Desert Cop, representing Lochsong's owner breeder Jeff Smith and Chipstead, an improving handicapper bidding to emulate his brother Oxted, the 2021 winner when also a five-year-old, are also declared.
There is an unusually big turnout of three-year-olds this year, with six of the 19 runners, including two juvenile winners last year in Dramatised (Queen Mary) and Bradsell (Coventry).
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