Superstar sprinter Battaash will take on seven runners on Friday in his title defence of the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
The Charlie Hills trained gelding had a superb 2019 racing five times over his preferred five furlongs and landing some big events including the Group Two temple Stakes at Haydock and his first Group One Nunthorpe Stakes, which is he favourite to defend.
He could only finish second again behind his nemesis Blue Point in the King's Stands Stakes at Royal Ascot but managed to land a hat-trick of wins at Goodwood
Coming back this season, he managed to land that elusive Group One King's Stands Stakes at Ascot and then breezed to a fourth straight victory in the King George Qatar Stakes at the Sussex track.
He's done it! Battaash wins his fourth King George Qatar Stakes @Goodwood_Races! 😍
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2020
🏆2017
🏆2018
🏆2019
🏆2020
The speedster creates history in a track record time for @cbhills and @JimCrowley1978 🚀🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/quG35p4ClO
Battaash has been labelled by many a the fastest horse on the planet and after breaking the track record in this race last year it is very hard to looks past him again.
However, he takes on some surprising entries in this year's renewal with his main nemesis looking to be Art Power for trainer Tim Easterby.
Art Power for King Power Racing has labelled himself as the Yorkshire handlers stable star after showing huge amounts of ability this term when landing a handicap at the royal meeting by 5 lengths and then stepping up to a Group Two in Ireland and trouncing the field again.
ART POWER was an impressive winner at Royal Ascot and trainer Tim Easterby has confirmed that he could run at Sandown OR Naas this weekend 🐎
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) June 30, 2020
He's currently a 5/2 fav for the Coral Charge 📝
📹 @AtTheRaces pic.twitter.com/IkD4O9elSG
The likeable A'Ali for Simon Crisford has managed to get his season back on track after a poor start to the season to now being a firm contender in the Nunthorpe after some better runs.
As a juvenile the son of Society Rock was a superstar landing a hat-trick of wins in Group Two company which included the before mentioned Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Prix Robert Papin at Deauville and finally the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
He finished his two year old career at the Breeders Cup meeting with a tame run and he did not improve on that run on his three year old seasonal debut at Newcastle when obviously needing the run.
The Coral Charge at Sandown showed him back to his best and when sent over to Ireland for the first time he landed another Group Two event.
Other runners that have been entered include the Kevin Ryan trained Emaaaty Anna who landed the Gimcrack at York last season, Michael Dods-trained Que Amoro, Moss Gill and Ornate for David Griffiths.