Royal Ascot Ante-Post RAB - 09/06/21

The son of Kingman has been pretty much faultless to date, winning both his starts as a juvenile, starting at Sandown back in August winning a nice maiden and then going on to back that up over the same course and distance.

He made his seasonal debut at Newcastle on the all weather seeing off a stern effort from the Richard Fahey trained Acquitted but off the back of that he improved a massive amount to hunt down Pinatubo late in the day at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Having four wins from four races, he put his unbeaten run on the line in the Group One Jacques Le Marois and in heavy ground cleared away from the field with the Jessica Harrington trained Alpine Star the closest to him.

That set him up perfectly for his final run of the season in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day, but unfortunately he had to settle for third and lost his unbeaten record.

Back for another season this term, the four year old made his seasonal debut at Sandown on the Group Two bet365 Mile and despite only being 85% fit, powered clear of a fair field.

That put him spot on for the Group One Lockinge Stakes where he went on to dominate again and really stamp his authority on the mile division.

If running to that level of form he should not be beat, especially winning over the same course and distance last term at the meeting.

The seven year old has been the poster boy for the UK staying division for the last four seasons landing 10 races in a row including winning a Weatherbys-sponsored £1million bonus in the last two seasons after landing the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup at York.

As mentioned, Stradivarius lost his unbeaten record that stretched back to May 2018, when being pipped in a photo finish on Champions Day 2019 in the Long Distance Cup.

He came back last season and had a prep run in the Group One Coronation Cup where he ran to a good standard finishing third and gave him the run he needed to go and win a third straight renewal of this event.

After joining the likes of Double Trigger and Yeats after landing the Gold Cup, he headed to Glorious Goodwood seeking a fourth win in the Goodwood Cup, which he went on to win.

He was dropped in trip after that in prep for the Arc, where the race did not suit him and that seemed to really mess him about with him only beating one home in the Long Distance Cup.

The mighty veteran came back this season for the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and was a superb winner of the event over two miles and having been kept since then he will be fresh for his fourth go of landing the event.

One to beat.

The seven-year-old during the winter suffered an injury setback which saw him pick up a small fracture in one of his legs and it looked a race against time to get him back for the royal meeting.

Battaash was better than ever last term landing his first ever King's Stands Stakes at Royal Ascot and then backing that up at Goodwood with his fourth King George Qatar Stakes.

He then went to York looking for his first ever win in the Nunthorpe and with a gritty, determined performance in soft conditions, he went on to take the event.

The superstar was not seen again last season having swerved the Prix de l'Abbaye due to soft ground and he will next be seen back at Royal Ascot looking for back to back wins in the Group One sprint event.

Although not having a run before the event is a negative, the classy, pacy gelding is said to be in top form at home and if running to the form of last season, he wins the race.

The seven year old should be looked back on in his career as being a dual Diamond Jubilee winner at the royal meeting but having been beaten twice in a photo finish, he is one of the hard luck stories in racing.

Saying that both those were superb runs, especially on soft ground where he has shown clear speed to be able to mix it with the best in the sport and he now looks to be heading back to Ascot in June for a third crack at the Group One event.

Last year the sprinter put in some career best performances, when winning the Group Two Hungerford Stakes at Newbury and then backed that up by taking the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The gelding returned this term in a three runner Listed event at Windsor and ran out an easy winner, with the event used as a pipe cleaner for the big one at Ascot.

Dream Of Dreams looks a big player going back into this event and it would be disappointing to not see him in the first three for the third time running.

The final horse in the RAB is the Wesley Ward trained Campanelle and this three year old filly looks to the American trainers best chance of a winner across the festival.

The daughter of Kodiac made her debut at Gulfstream on firm ground and went on to bolt up in a decent field and unlike previous seasons he was one of few Ward runners to get off the mark at the first time of asking.

She was then sent to Royal Ascot in the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes over five furlongs and beat a solid field of runners and the form has since been franked with second, third, fourth and fifth all running credible races after that event.

Campanelle was then sent to France over six furlongs for the first time in the Group One Prix Morny and in soft ground she dominated a good field of juveniles to take the event.

The filly rounded off last term at Keeneland in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and although finishing a fair fourth behind the 1000 Guineas Mother earth and smart Aunt Pearl, the mile was too far for her.

Coming back down to this trip will be perfect for her and she has shown in the past she goes well fresh.