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Although all eyes will be focused on the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, the 1m2½f Group 2 York Stakes (3:15) at the Knavesmire is worthy of attention with some interesting contenders entered.
Although all eyes will be focused on the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, the 1m2½f Group 2 York Stakes (3:15) at the Knavesmire is worthy of attention with some interesting contenders entered.
My Prospero currently heads the betting, returning to Group 2 level for the first time since his Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam success at Saint Cloud in July last year. A promising third in the Group 1 British Champion Stakes in October at Ascot, the colt has been unable to make his presence felt in two runs this year, finishing fourth in both the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes and the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes. Connections are confident that ten furlongs is the colt's best trip and the pick of his three-year-old form – a neck defeat in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot – make him a Group 1 winner in waiting.
Alflaila makes his long-awaited return for trainer Owen Burrows, having been off the track since last October. The Dark Angel colt improved dramatically through his three-year-old campaign, flourishing at the back end of the season when recording three straight victories at Listed and Group 3 level. Following a solid second in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket, he won the Listed Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract before an impressive two-and-a-quarter length success in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes when attempting nine furlongs for the first time.
Alflaila started favourite for his final run of the season in the Group 3 Darley Stakes and justified market support when beating Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet in comfortable fashion. A step up to ten furlongs may be the limit of the four-year-old's stamina, but it is not beyond his capabilities – he hails from a family of eight to ten furlong Black Type performers.
Royal Champion represents the Roger Varian stable and produced a surprise success in the ten furlong Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot, out-running odds of 16/1. The five-year-old travelled well throughout the race despite sitting wide and kept on strongly in the closing stages to beat Bolshoi Ballet by one-and-a-quarter lengths. He has shown flashes of brilliance since a gelding operation in April 2022 – a five-and-a-half length demolition job in the Listed Doonside Cup Stakes at Ayr springs to mind – but the son of Shamardal can be somewhat inconsistent. A replication of the Royal Ascot victory would put him firmly in the mix.
WIN: MY PROSPERO