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There looks to be plenty of international interest at Royal Ascot with day two declarations finalised. Runners from Ireland, America and France feature.
There looks to be plenty of international interest at Royal Ascot with day two declarations finalised. Runners from Ireland, America and France feature.
The feature on day two of Royal Ascot is the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes and it looks to be a fascinating six-runner renewal for 2023 for the 1m 2f showpiece event of the week. Adayar heads up the field. The 2021 Epsom Derby hero only had two outings last season which included a second-place finish in the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes over the same course and distance in October. The five-year-old made his seasonal return in the rescheduled Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket when winning nicely over ten furlongs.
Bay Bridge was beaten a length into second in this contest last year behind State Of Rest and the five-year-old will be looking to make amends this time following a pair of Group 1 placings this season (third in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp and runner-up in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh).
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Luxembourg looks like a worthy market leader following his defeat of Bay Bridge at the Curragh last time when winning and will be bidding to give the master trainer of Ballydoyle a third success in the Wednesday showpiece over the last decade.
There will be American interest with Classic Causeway, who was last seen finishing fourth at Churchill Downs at the start of this month representing the Kenneth McPeek stable.
Mostahaf was second in last year's Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meting and will be returning to the UK following exploits internationally over the winter. William Haggas' My Prospero posted two solid placings at Ascot last season and rounds out the field now stepping up back up in trip.
Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes (4.20pm)
Adayar - William Buick
Bay Bridge – Richard Kingscote
Classic Causeway – Julien Leparoux
Luxembourg – Ryan Moore
Mostahdaf – Jim Crowley
My Prospero – Tom Marquand
Ten runners have been declared for the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes (3.40pm). Joseph O'Brien has two with Honey Girl and Jumbly. Trainer, Jane Chapple-Hyam won this race last year with Saffron Beach, and this time has Internationalangel with Hollie Doyle booked. Frankie Dettori rides Prosperous Voyage following their Epsom success. Others runners include: Grande Dame, Lightship, Potapova, Queen Aminatu, Random Harvest and Rougue Millennium.
28 two-year-old fillies will contest the opening Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes (2.30pm) with plenty of international interest with French trainer Henri Devin running Balsam under Ryan Moore. America also have three declared.
Usually, the Royal Hunt Cup (5.00pm) gets a maximum field and again this year 30 runners have been declared plus three reserves with Reach For The Moon representing HM The King & HM The Queen.
The King and The Queen also have Circle Of Fire in the Group 2 Queen's Vase (5.35pm).
