The King’s Stand Stakes is the first Group 1 of Royal Ascot for the sprinters and is over 5f or 1000m as the Australians would put it and the Aussies have won the race 5 times in the past including last year when Nature Strip bolted up for Chris Waller and James McDonald. 4 of their 5 winners had won the Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February before winning this and Nature Strip had finished 2nd.
1 of the 2 Aussie raiders, Coolangatta took this year’s renewal. In general terms, you want a horse who has finished in the first 2 last time out and has already won at G1 or G2 level. Here are my ascot tips for the King’s Stand Stakes.
Annaf
Trainer: Mick Appleby
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Has won 5 times on the AW from 10 starts compared to 0 wins from 7 starts on Turf and whilst he has run OK at York and Haydock the last twice it would be a big shock if he broke his turf maiden here.
Cannonball
Trainers: Peter & Paul Snowden
Jockey: Brett Prebble
Has won over 1100m in Australia so this stiff 5f should be fine. The main issue I have is if he will be good enough. In March he won a G3 Handicap at Rosehill and he then stepped up into G1 company for the Galaxy over the same course and distance and finished a good 3rd. That was also a handicap though and he only had to carry 7-12. The form hasn’t worked out either and whilst his connections wouldn’t send him all this way if they didn’t think he had some sort of chance, he does look very much the Australian 2nd string to me.
Chipstead
Trainer: Roger Teal
Jockey: Richard Kingscote
Good winner of a handicap at York races last time off a mark of 102 and you can ignore his only start in Group company as that came in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket in May when he hated the soft ground. Could run well, but it’s a big ask to think he can win.
Equilateral
Trainer: Charles Hills
Jockey: William Buick
This 8yo has had a solid career and finished 2nd in this race in 2020 and 5th to Nature Strip last year. A couple of solid 2nds at Haydock races the last twice, but it’s hard to think he will suddenly find the level required to win this.
Existent
Trainer: Stuart Williams
Jockey: Neil Callan
Well beaten 11th in this race last year and although his run behind Dramatised at Haydock last time was solid enough he is rightfully an outsider here.
Manaccan
Trainer: John Ryan
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Frankie has only ever won this race once and it wasn’t a G1 then so I’m sure he’s keen to win it in his final year. He was 5th in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse last year but has improved since including a couple of Listed wins at Doncaster and over course and distance, plus a G3 at Dundalk last autumn. This year he was 3rd in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket which was a really promising run as the 2 in front of him had already had a run, he had a 3lb penalty to carry, the ground had gone against him and he had a poor draw. If he comes on for that he should be a player.
Special Offer – William Hill – Frankie Dettori To Ride A Winner On Day 1 Of Royal Ascot 2023 – Was 1/3 – NOW EVS. Find more Royal Ascot free bets and promotions on our dedicated special offers page.
Mitbaahy
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: David Egan
Landed a G3 at Newbury in September and was then a dead-heated 8th behind The Platinum Queen in the Abbaye. He returned in the Temple Stakes where he was 5th behind Dramatised, but he was the first home of those who raced in the centre so that effort can be upgraded. Not a total no hoper.
Raasel
Trainer: Mick Appleby
Jockey: James Doyle
The other horse that finished 8th in the Abbaye last year, but he was well beaten at Haydock in the Temple and was only 3rd back in grade their last time. Likely to find this too tough.
Twilight Calls
Trainer: Henry Candy
Jockey: Ryan Moore
A superb 2nd in this to Nature Strip last year and then wasn’t seen again last season. Finished 9th in both his starts so far this season so not coming into this race in as good form as last year, but clearly quick ground over this course and distance suits well so has place claims.
Coolangatta
Trainers: C Maher and D Eustace
Jockey: James McDonald
As per last year with Nature Strip no doubt you will see pundits suggest that Coolangatta hasn’t seen quick ground yet, which quite frankly is a load of rubbish. Australia is a hotter country than the UK so of course he had seen quick ground, but the way they do their going descriptions in Australia means they don’t feature the word firm. Her last run came in the G1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington on a Good 3 which is no worse than good to firm and possibly even a little quicker than that. It was a very impressive performance and the horse she beat into 2nd place went on to win the T J Smith which is another one of the big sprints in Australia.
Nature Strip was back in 6th although he clearly wasn’t at the level he was when he won this race last year, but even so, it gives a solid yardstick to work with. Her other G1 win was in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley which isn’t one of the stronger G1 sprints in Australia. She has won over 6f so a stiff 5f should be fine and we know she handles a straight track.
James McDonald is one of the best jockeys in the world and he was on Nature Strip last year. He is sounding very confident about winning it again. Her final trial in Australia wasn’t visually great, but they actually clocked a pretty fast time given the ground conditions and she looked in really good shape in the gallop at Ascot last week. I don’t think she is as good as Nature Strip last year, but then she might not need to be.
Highfield Princess
Trainer: John Quinn
Jockey: Jason Hart
She looks by far the pick of the home team given the improvement she showed last season. It wasn’t like she was a bad horse before and she did take the Buckingham Palace Stakes over 7f at this meeting 2 years ago. She just seemed to take her form to a new level last season though as she won her first Group race at York in May before finishing 6th in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes.
After that though she won 3 G1s on the bounce. She took the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, the Nunthorpe at York and finally the Flying Five at the Curragh. That means she won over 6.5f as well as 5f on quick ground and soft ground. After that, they took her to the Breeders’ Cup where she finished 4th.
Connections were very happy with her comeback run in the Duke Of York Clipper Stakes last month when she was 2nd to Azure Blue. If Coolangatta wasn’t in the race she would rightly be a short-priced favourite, but given the Aussie sprinters are so good this is going to be her stiffest task yet.
Moonesita
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle
4th in this race last year which would give her an e/w chance, but was 6th behind Highfield Princess at the Curragh last September and wasn’t a great 4th at Naas on her seasonal return.
Twilight Gleaming
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
Was 2nd in the Queen Mary as a 2yo and went on to win a Listed race at Deauville. Won a Listed Race at Keenland in April on her only start this year and whilst the trainer’s horses always need respect at this meeting I find it hard to think that her form is as good as those at the head of the market.
Vadream
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes
Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
Landed the Palace House Stakes last month, but was very disappointing in a G2 at Chantilly a couple of weeks ago and she is going to have to improve massively on that to play any part in this.
Bradsell
Trainer: Archie Watson
Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Took the Coventry Stakes on this day last year, but been put in his place since then including a couple of times by Little Big Bear, the 2nd of which was in the Sandy Lane Stakes last time.
Desert Cop
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Won a nice pot on Good Friday at Newcastle, but was well beaten here in May and then the 2nd last time came in a Listed Race so needs to find plenty of improvement from somewhere.
Marshman
Trainer: Karl Burke
Jockey: Clifford Lee
Had a fair 2yo season winning a couple of times and then finishing 2nd in the Gimcrack at York. Started this season winning a G3 at Chantilly in April and then came 5th behind Azure Blue in the Duke Of York Clipper Stakes when being slowly away didn’t help. Ran well again back at Chantilly on his first start over 5f. Got outside e/w claims.
Dramatised
Trainer: Karl Burke
Jockey: Daniel Tudhope
She has only run 5 times and took the Queen Mary at this meeting last year on her 2nd start. Ran below par in the Lowther at York in August, but was much better when 2nd in the Breeders’ Cup. She landed the Temple Stakes on her return at Haydock last month and much was spoken about the huge draw bias as there did appear to be a huge advantage to be on the stands side rail. Even so, chances are she was the best horse in the race anyway as she had some of the best form and was unexposed. This is going to be tougher, but you would imagine she will come on for her first run of the season and she wouldn’t be a shock winner.
King’s Stand Betting Tips
I was really confident Nature Strip would win this race last whilst I wouldn’t be as confident about Coolangatta’s chance this time around I still think that this race will go to Australia again. She has proven herself to be one of the leading sprinters in Australia and the Maher and Eustace team would not be sending her all this way if they didn’t think she could win.
The Aussie sprinters tend to be better than the European ones and if she runs her race I think she will win. If she doesn’t run her race then Highfield Princess looks by someway to be ahead of the rest and I will be covering her as well because I don’t think anything else will win. Dramatised could easily be the best of the rest, but for a bit of value, I will put in last year’s 2nd Twilight Calls for 3rd. So, here are my top tips for the King’s Stand Stakes:
1st – Coolangatta @ 7/2 with Bet365 bonus code
2nd – Highfield Princess @ 5/2 with Bet365
3rd – Twilight Calls @ 16/1 with Bet365
All odds are accurate at the time of writing.
Join The Best Betting Community In The World
Get involved in all the Royal Ascot betting chat on our hugely popular free horse racing tips forum. From trends, stats, and tips, we discuss anything and everything to get the edge over the bookies.
