Tuesday 16th June 2020
Author: Jordan Yates
A big welcome to my first Royal Ascot Preview of the week. For the feature race of each day of the Royal Meeting, I’ll be providing you with a Runner Guide on each participant, as well as information surrounding the race and the recent history, which gives you an idea of the trends that have formed through previous winners over the years.
The first race I’ll be taking a look at is the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes which is set to take place on Tuesday at 3.35pm.
Enjoy!
King’s Stand Stakes
Group 1
Five Furlongs
Winner Prize (2019): £283,550
Tuesday 16th June 2020
3:35pm
Recent Winners:
2015:
Goldream
(Age: 6)
(Jockey: Martin Harley)
(Trainer: Robert Cowell)
2016:
Profitable
(Age: 4)
(Jockey: Adam Kirby)
(Trainer: Clive Cox)
2017:
Lady Aurelia
(Age: 3)
(Jockey: John Velazquez)
(Trainer: Wesley Ward)
2018:
Blue Point
(Age: 4)
(Jockey: William Buick)
(Trainer: Charlie Appleby)
2019:
Blue Point
(Age: 5)
(Jockey: James Doyle)
(Trainer: Charlie Appleby)
Runner Guide:
No. 1
BATTAASH
Trainer: Charles Hills
Jockey: Jim Crowley
Estimated SP: 4/6
Form: 12110-
Overview:
“The class act in the field and one they all have to beat, which is why he is the short-priced favourite. Explosive when on a going day, as we saw when he destroyed a Group 1 field in last year’s Nunthorpe Stakes at York. He can be prone to an off day though, this was the case when he was last seen when flopping in the Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc Day. In the last two runnings of this race, he’s finished second behind Blue Point, and it looks as though he should go very close once again against this field.”
No. 2
EQUILATERAL
Trainer: Charles Hills
Jockey: James Doyle
Estimated SP: 8/1
Form: 616-12
Overview:
“Also trained by Hills, Equilateral is a smart sprinter in his own right. A lot like his stablemate Battaash he is prone to an off day, but when on a going one he can be very impressive. We saw this on his penultimate outing when he was very impressive winning a Listed handicap at Meydan. He was seventh in this race last year and has generally found this level a bit too tough. He’ll be a popular each-way pick with punters though and does have a very solid chance in making the frame.
No. 3
HIT THE BID
Trainer: D J Bunyan
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Estimated SP: 33/1
Form: 76834-
Overview:
Hit The Bid hasn’t been in the winners’ enclosure since 2018, however, he has run some solid races in defeat within that time. Most of those coming in Dubai, he did finish a decent fourth of thirteen on his latest outing in a Dundalk Group 3 where he went off the odds on favourite. Champion jockey Oisin Murphy will be in the saddle.
No. 4
ROCKET DREAM
Trainer: Robert Cowell
Jockey: Tom Queally
Estimated SP: 25/1
Form: 41211-
Overview:
Robert Cowell won this race a few years ago with Goldream and has a reputation for being a very shrewd operator with his sprinters. Rocket Dream might not be in the class as that particular horse, however, he’s done nothing wrong to date arriving here in fine form. He was last seen when getting the better of the useful Corinthia Knight at Wolverhampton, which was in handicap company and a huge step up in class awaits him here.
No. 5
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Estimated SP: 40/1
Form: 1406-0
Overview:
It’s certainly a rarity to see Ryan Moore riding a 40/1 outsider in a Group 1 for Aidan O’Brien, but that looks to be the case here with Sergei Prokofiev. A very promising two-year-old finishing third in the Coventry Stakes here behind Calyx but things haven’t gone quite right for him since. He did win a Listed race back in March of last year but was beaten 10 lengths in this last year by Blue Point and was beaten a similar distance by Sceptical on his seasonal reappearance in a Listed race at Naas earlier this month.
No. 6
TIS MARVELLOUS
Trainer: Clive Cox
Jockey: Adam Kirby
Estimated SP: 20/1
Form: 21544-
Overview:
Cox & Kirby teamed up to win this race as recently as 2016 with Profitable, and they’re back for more this time around with Tis Marvellous. This horse is somewhat of a course specialist around Ascot having never really run a bad race at the track, his only win of 2019 came here in a valuable handicap and he also finished second at last year’s Royal Meeting in the Wokingham Stakes behind Cape Byron. Most of his form is within handicap company, he’ll be another popular each-way play with punters, though.
No. 7
WELL DONE FOX
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
Estimated SP: 40/1
Form: 0/75-4
Overview:
Well Done Fox is a four-year-old who arrives here having won three of his thirteen career starts to date. The highlight of these outings certainly came at Sandown and York where he claimed a couple of wins within Listed company in the Dragon Stakes and Julia Graves Roses Stakes, respectively. He has had a run already this year when he posted a solid effort when finishing fourth in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month.
No. 8
GLASS SLIPPERS
Trainer: Kevin Ryan
Jockey: Tom Eaves
Estimated SP: 4/1
Form: 24111-
Overview:
The horse that many see as the main danger to Battaash’s quest for victory in this contest is this Kevin Ryan trained four-year-old Glass Slippers, who will be ridden by Tom Eaves. She was last seen when winning the Group 1 Prix De l’Abbaye at Longchamp when Battaash was a disappointing favourite. She had a very productive season that year, winning a Group 3 and Listed race as well. A very progressive sort who could well prove to be a key player in this division throughout the campaign.
No. 9
KURIOUS
Trainer: Henry Candy
Jockey: Harry Bentley
Estimated SP: 25/1
Form: 2011-
Overview:
Kurious arrives here in great form having won both of her most recent outings, which both came at Sandown in the Listed Scurry Stakes and Group 3 Coral Charge. She’s one of the most unexposed in the field and looks to have a fair amount of potential improvement in her.
No. 10
SHADES OF BLUE
Trainer: Clive Cox
Jockey: Liam Keniry
Estimated SP: 33/1
Form: 2220-7
Overview:
Another entry for Clive Cox comes in the form of Shades Of Blue who will be ridden by Liam Keniry. Seemingly the second string for the yard here, she’s a smart sprinter in her own right, having won a Listed race in France last year and was also a neck second behind Glass Slippers in a Group 3. She made her reappearance earlier this month in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket where he finished seventh of thirteen.
No. 11
LIBERTY BEACH
Trainer: John Quinn
Jockey: Jason Hart
Estimated SP: 7/1
Form: 4112-1
Overview:
Another one of the big players in the field against Battaash, Liberty Beach has developed into a fine sprinter in the last year or so gaining several victories including the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood back in July last year. She got her season off to a perfect start earlier this month when winning a Listed race at Haydock by just shy of a length and will be looking to build on that here.
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