Queen Anne Stakes Guide 2021

John and Thady Gosden’ four year old Palace Pier dominates the top of the market here after winning in seven of his eight trips to a racecourse.

Tenderly handled in the infancy of his career in low grade affairs, he scored in handicap company last June before sweeping to an impressive victory in the St James’ Palace stakes here at last year’s Royal meeting.

Brushing aside Pinatubo and Wichita saw the son of Kingman rightfully take his place in group one company.

A trip to Deauville yielded more success as the versatile colt but through heavy ground to a second win in group one company.

Despite taking on his elders for the first time he showed his class and determination to further tighten his grip over the 1 mile division.

Finishing last season losing his unbeaten record in the Queen Elizabeth II stakes on Champions Day, losing a shoe and a poor start cost him and he could only manage 3rd behind The Revenant and Roseman.

Returning to the track as a 4 year old for this season he picked up the winning thread immediately. A demolition job in a group 2 at Sandown in April was followed up by a spellbinding performance in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury last month.

Sent off at prohibitive odds for both he simply showed he’s a cut above the rest. A devastating turn of foot sealed his third Group 1 win and set him up nicely for his run here.

The one to beat on paper. Simply the best miler around right now.

Making the trek over from Ireland for Aidan O’Brien is Order Of Australia.

Clearly well thought of by connections, he contested the Irish and French Derbys last year but only managed 4th and 7th respectively.

Given a break, he returned to the track and shed his maiden at the 5th time of asking over 10 furlongs. He quickly backed it up over 12 furlongs just 9 days later.

Shifted into group company again over 10 furlongs he seemingly found the trip too taxing in deeper waters and floundered back in last of 9 runners.

Finally landing a blow in group company when dropped back to a mile for the first time since debut at the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Keenland, despite being the 40/1 outsider.

Pierre-Charles Boudot in the saddle, he just managed to get the better of stablemates Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez.

Boudot retained the partnership in the Hong Kong Mile in December but the Irish raider could only manage 6th.
Dropping to a mile was clearly the making of him.

In easy races his stamina lasted out 12 furlongs, but seemingly against hotter competition he’s better over the shorter trip.

Not seen since his run in Hong Kong, he’s quite short in the market. However it’s never wise to write off one of O’Brien’s runners. Now he’s matured he could be an even better miler.

Another for O’Brien and the Coolmore operation, Lope Y Fernandez is no stranger to the royal meeting.

Sent off favourite for the 2019 Chesham he was no match for the subsequent champion 2 year old Pinatubo and had to settle for 2nd.

A mix of trips saw his 3 year old season yield no success. 3rd in the Irish Guineas over a mile, he was brought back to Royal Ascot just 7 days later and sent off favourite for the Commonwealth Cup where he only managed 11th.

Trying trips from 6 furlongs to 1 mile for the rest of the campaign brought only frustration but a 3rd at the Breeder’s Cup over 1 mile hinted that his future lay over 8 furlongs.

Coming back this season in listed company over a mile brought about a resurgence to form and his first win since being a 2 year old.

Bounding clear of Saltonstall to comfortably score by 5.5 lengths at Leopardstown.

Last seen when second favourite to Palace Pier in the Lockinge Stakes last month, the colt was disappointing. Coming home 8th of the 11 runners, he was gently handled by jockey Ryan Moore when he realised his chance had gone.

A frustrating horse to follow, the mile certainly looks his best trip on paper. A sounder surface is probably his ideal and he’s not to be ignored if he shows the same sparkle he did at Leopardstown back in April.

A good each way option for those looking to oppose the favourite.

A 5 year old hailing from the James Tate yard, Top Rank is another runner who’s quite lightly raced considering his age.
A winner on debut at 2, he then wasn’t seen until he was 3 when he defied his penalty in a novice event with ease.

He quickly outgrew handicap company and shifted to group races where he scored at Group 3 level at the first time of asking when beating My Oberon.

He rounded out last season in the Joel Stakes with Tilsit but was well held in last place of the 6 runners.

Making his seasonal comeback at Doncaster in a listed race, he showed his usual enthusiasm but easily defied his penalty to brush aside some decent rivals.

Last seen in the Lockinge Stakes behind Palace Pier, he was no match for the Gosden mile superstar but ran a mighty race to pick up 3rd place.

Left for dead by the winner and Lady Bowthorpe in 2nd, he was miles clear of 4th as the race fell apart in the winner’s wake.

He does have form on a variety of goings and courses. He’s yet to race at Ascot but there’s no reason why it wouldn’t suit him. Maybe not of group 1 quality however and this deeper race could really find him out.

Becoming somewhat of a veteran now at 8 years of age, Lord Glitters has been a model of consistency and has mixed it at the highest level for a good few years now.

A winner of this race back in 2019 at a high price, he cut through the field under Danny Tudhope and just held off Beat The Bank. Reversing the form of the 2018 running where he went down by a neck to the same rival.

Clearly at home at Ascot, the striking grey spent the early part of this year over in Meydan where he showed he still retained all of his ability.

Striking in Group 2 and Group 1 company over 9 furlongs was highly impressive.

Returning to England for the Lockinge he was a remote 4th behind Palace Pier and Top Rank, however the cut in the ground wasn’t to his liking.

His best form has come on a solid surface so presuming the rain stays away he’s not one to be ignored. He’s run at Ascot 9 times and his record reads 212261846.

Never far away from the action he could surprise a few at a big price.

For Roger Varian and Sheikh Al Maktoum is Prince Eiji. A stop-start career has seen him win only once and that came on his debut back in 2018.

Mixing it over a mile and 10 furlongs over the past couple of seasons has struggled to yield much success.

Mainly targeted at listed contests, he’s acquitted himself well enough to earn a mark of 107 but hasn’t threatened to get his nose in front until recently.

His return to action after a long absence came at Ascot back in April in the Paradise Stakes. A trial for the Queen Anne the 5 year old put in what was likely a career best to go down by a head to Oh This Is Us.

The winner franked the form by winning the Diomed Stakes at Epsom during the Derby meeting recently.

Despite the form of his last run working out well, he’ll have to improve significantly to make the jump from listed level to group 1 company. Likely to be out of his depth.

Previously donning the colours of Cheveley Park Stud, the 6 year old has tasted most of his success at Group 3 level over 1 mile but looks to try and make it at the top table again here.

Mainly running over 1 mile in his early career, he garnered success when upped in trip for the first time to 10 furlongs at Sandown and followed that up with a career best effort to be 3rd in the 2019 Coral Eclipse behind superstar Enable.

Connections seemingly thought they’d found his best trip, he was highly tried over 10 furlongs but failed to replicate the form he showed in the Eclipse.

It wasn’t until half way through last season he dropped back to a mile and immediately bounced back to form when stealing the Sovereign Stakes by 3.5 lengths.

Unable to land a blow in group 2 company after his last win, he ran well to hit the frame both times but was held behind better horses.

Moving up further in grade is likely to find him out again. He’s not had a prep run this season so will be conceding fitness to rivals too. Unlikely to play a pivotal role.

A highly campaigned handicapper, Sir Busker has amassed 24 runs and 5 wins in his career.

Most notably when winning the Silver Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last year. Shouldering top weight, he finished like a steam train under Oisin Murphy to a thrilling success.

He nearly followed it up in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket but found the drop to 7 furlongs too sharp to see him get the better of Motakhayyel.

Career best efforts soon followed with a 2nd in the group 2 Celebration Mile and 4th in the Queen Elizabeth II, finishing just behind Palace Pier.

The straight mile at Ascot is certainly his bag and he returned with an encouraging 3rd in the listed trial for this race back in late April behind Oh This Is Us and Prince Eiji.

Disappointing when last seen at Longchamp, very soft ground probably wasn’t to his liking and he struggled to get involved.

Back on firmer ground and on Ascot's straight course, he could be a surprise package at a big price to hit the frame.

A frustrating sort to follow, Pogo is the type of horse who’s stuck between being on too lofty a mark to be able to compete in handicaps, carries a penalty in listed contests but isn’t good enough for group level action.

Highly tried over a mix of 7 furlongs and a mile, since his juvenile campaign most of his wins have come over the longer of the two trips. An inspired run in last year’s Royal Hunt Cup saw him come 3rd behind two smart animals in Dark Vision and Montatham.

He handles Ascot fine, is versatile in terms of going and returned to action this season with a fine win in listed company at Leicester. The small field was no match for the market favourite and he powered away easily in the last half a furlong.

Contesting the Lockinge Stakes when last seen, the stark move up in grade saw him wanting for quality and the 5 year old could only muster 10th of the 11 runners.

Likely to find this contest too deep for his abilities and is doubtful to play a part in the finish.

Lowest rated in the field on official figures is Bless Him for David Simcock.

The 7 year old scored at this meeting over this distance in the Britannia Stakes back in 2017 when a shock winner.
It took a while for him to regain the winning thread.

Not getting back into the winners’ enclosure until a low grade handicap affair in August 2019, he did however follow up that success with another good 1 mile victory here at Ascot.

A poor season last year yielded no returns as he finds himself too highly rated to be competitive in handicaps but not good enough to make the move into listed or higher company.

However, an all weather win on return earlier this year was a strong comeback performance.

A trip to Meydan proved fruitless but he was most recently seen as the best of the rest in the Bet365 Mile behind Palace Pier back in April.

It’s hard to see him getting seriously involved here.

Not the most straightforward of types, to put it politely.

The 7 year old spent the early part of his career as a handicapper who struggled to make the breakthrough to listed level. However, the breakthrough came at group 1 level when he caused an upset to take this race back in 2018.

Now, he’s failed to win since. He looked to retain his Queen Anne crown back in 2019 but refused to race which left old rival Lord Glitters to go one better than the year before.

He’s failed to accumulate any kind of form since his win here 3 years ago. All his best form has come at Ascot but he’s a tricky customer and is already bottom of the market.

He needs a return to Ascot to inspire him back to his best. A warm up in a handicap showed he’s still got ability but it would be surprising to see him come anywhere near to regaining his crown.