Luxembourg (IRE) and Adayar (IRE) go head-to-head in the £1 million Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) June 21 at Ascot Racecourse. The Prince of Wales's winner will earn a guaranteed start in the $US4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
Now in its 16th season the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic qualifying positions, with fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, on Nov. 3-4.
Luxembourg, trained by Aidan O'Brien, has won six of his nine starts, securing Group 1 success ages 2, 3 and 4 for Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. He captured the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) in May, making all the running to defeat one of his Prince of Wales's rivals Bay Bridge (GB) by a half-length at The Curragh.
Always highly regarded by O'Brien, who hoped he would go on to Classic honors last year, Luxembourg had to miss most of the summer after finishing third in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas (G1), but came back to win the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown in September.
Luxembourg finished fifth of seven in the Coolmore Stud Sottsass Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes (G2) at The Curragh in his seasonal comeback, but next time took a major step forward under Ryan Moore in the Gold Cup to secure his place in the 1 1/4-mile Prince of Wales's Stakes, one of two £1 million races during the Royal Ascot meeting.
“He came forward nicely to win at The Curragh and the good thing about it was he didn't seem to mind making the running, so we know he can do that if he wants at Ascot,” said O'Brien. “He doesn't have to do that. Ryan can decide for himself what he wants to do depending on the pace. He seems to have been in good form since.”
The Charlie Appleby-trained Adayar is a rare example of an English Derby (G1) winner who is still in training at age 5.
His trainer has long advocated that Godolphin's son of Frankel (GB) is capable of adding a Group 1 over 1 1/4 miles to his top honors, which he achieved in the 2021 Derby and in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), both at the 1 1/2-mile distance.
Second to Bay Bridge in the QIPCO British Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot in September, Adayar was a comfortable winner of the 1 1/4-mile bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes (G2) at Newmarket last month.
Appleby said: “He goes into the Prince of Wales's as near-favorite or joint-favorite, and deservedly so on what we saw at the Guineas meeting. He has come forward for that first run. Hopefully we can get our rewards, more so for him, for staying in training.”
Trainer Kenny McPeek has added a transatlantic flavor by bringing over Kentucky West Racing & Clarke M. Cooper Family Living Trust's Classic Causeway.
When last victorious in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1) 11 months ago, he defeated three British rivals. After two dirt races to begin the season, Classic Causeway finished fourth on June 3 in the 1 1/16-mile Arlington Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
“We gave him a couple more tries on the dirt earlier in the season and he ran well but we are still trying to get back to his Group 1 form.” said McPeek, who has booked Julien Leparoux for the mount. “He's been a very good horse and he is very talented. In our last run we tried to rate him off the pace and he just doesn't seem to want a lot to do with that.
“I anticipate he will be on the front as that's his game. It's his ideal distance and I am interested to see what he does on a right-handed track because conformationally he may really like that.”
Ward Aims for Third Norfolk Triumph
On Thursday expect no quarter to be given in the £110,000 Norfolk Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds, with the winner guaranteed a starting position in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. (G1).
Wesley Ward bids for his third success in the 5-furlong race with Stonestreet Stables LLC's American Rascal, a homebred son of Curlin out of two-time Royal Ascot winner Lady Aurelia.
In his debut in April at Keeneland, American Rascal won a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on dirt by 10 1/4 lengths under Joel Rosario, who travels over to ride. American Rascal will be the last of Ward's 2023 team to run at the Royal Meeting.
“They say 'Save the best for last,'” said Ward. “He looks like he has taken after Lady Aurelia. He is really something. He's always been a high-quality colt and came to the barn with great expectations as far as his breeding is concerned, by a champion sire out of Lady Aurelia.
“You are always nervous when you come to Ascot to take on the most precocious 2-year-olds in Europe. But he is the best of what we have in America right now.”
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Elite Status (GB) is also held in very high regard by his trainer Karl Burke.
Unbeaten in two starts, Elite Status captured the listed Racehorse Lotto National Stakes at Sandown by 5 lengths last time out, a race his sire Havana Grey (GB), also trained by Burke, captured in 2017.
“I think Elite Status has the potential to be very good,” said the trainer. “I am very excited about him. He is a very talented horse with a lot of scope.”
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Norfolk Stakes to start in the World Championships. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 in order to receive the rewards.
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