The Royal Ascot racing carnival attracts some of the world’s best horses and this year the cream of Australian racing has been sent to test some of the biggest races in the carnival.
Our first contender is the Robert Smerdon-trained Shamal Wind, which will contend the $800,000 Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m).
The race start time is scheduled for 12:40am (AEST) on Wednesday, and connections have enlisted the work of Ryan Moore to ride Shamal Wind in the biggest race the Australian has contested.
Robert Smerdon has tried to ensure his runner has a very similar preparation that she has had in Australia. The Oakleigh Plate winner will have her final race start in the King’s Stand Stakes before starting her breeding career.
Smerdon’s tactics are so detailed he won’t even let Ryan Moore have a sit on his runner prior to Royal Ascot.
“There was an opportunity for Ryan to ride her in work but the girl who rides her in her work understands her, so I stuck with her,” Smerdon said in the Sydney Morning Herald. “She knows her and can tell us more about her than anyone else. Ryan is a great jockey and I don’t think he would have gained anything from it. He will get on her on Tuesday and do the job.”
She has won five of her six runs when racing fresh so she will give the competition a big challenge. She has been put up at $7.50 in the market which looks a fair quote in a big race.
The next one to fly the flag for the Australians is the David Hayes-trained Criterion in the $1.1 million Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes (2000m) at 1:20am AEST on Thursday.
Australian Chad Schofield will take the ride on Criterion. Schofield has already spent some time in England getting used to riding and has gained some confidence with a win already.
Hayes said success with Criterion at Royal Ascot would equal any of his career achievements.
“To win a race at Royal Ascot would probably be as good as anything the stable has done,” he said in the Herald Sun. “My father was a huge fan of English racing and I am too, and we respect it so much because we see a lot of your B-grade horses come down and win our A-grade races.
“It would be nice to come over here with an A-grade horse and win an A-grade race.
“I’ve been watching the Aussies come here and do so well with our sprinters.
“I always thought if I had a horse that might be good enough it would be great to take the English on at their own game, which is middle distance.
“It’s going to be a very hard and tough task. It’s a great field with horses coming from everywhere but my horse is really healthy and I’m really happy with his work.”
Criterion has already got a feel for the track and is one of the Australian horses likely to get a win.
Then early on Sunday morning Brazen Beau and Wandjina will look to claim the $1.2 million Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m).
This has been in the works for Brazen Beau for some time after Chris Waller and connections opted out of a re-match with the trio of Terravista, Lankan Rupee and Chautauqua.
Waller is likely to bring his runner to this race over the King’s Strand, with Craig Williams the jockey over the Magic Man Joao Moreira who would have got the ride had he raced in the King’s Strand.
Some of our best have won this race including Black Caviar (2012), Starspangledbanner (2010) and Choisir (2003).
Based on Brazen Beau’s form he’s a big chance, especially after that win in the Newmarket. In five attempts over the distance Brazen Beau has won four of them. He currently sits at about $3.50 because of his quality but it’s an extremely hard race.
Wandjina hasn’t placed over the 1200m distance but showed some super form in his last two starts, winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas and coming second in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes.
The $10 being offered is well under.
Out of our four runners, Shamal Wind and Brazen Beau are our big contenders.
Shamal Wind – Racing in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) at 12:40am AEST on Wednesday.
Criterion – Racing in the Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes (2000m) at 1:20am AEST on Thursday.
Brazen Beau – Racing in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at 3:25am AEST on Sunday.
Wandjina – Racing in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at 3:25am AEST on Sunday.
Aransan
Guest
If Nolan had ridden her out she would have won by a length. Hay List at his top would have won that race by a length. If Black Caviar had been at her top she would have won by 5 lengths, perhaps take 2 lengths off as the race was a bit longer than her optimal distance on that track. Possibly the greatest sprinter of all time anywhere but I think she was a bit tired going into that race and it was an exceptional performance for her to win as she did in the circumstances.
BrisburghPhil
Roar Guru
Really guys Black Caviar? She would have won a bit easier than she did but for Luke Nolan easing up on her the last bit. The second horse was no slouch either.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Yeah it made her elevate from champion to legendary status. You can see with the way that Waller has prepared Brazen Beau that perhaps he realised that a fresh run will be the best, especially when you look at the Black Caviar scenario.
Aransan
Guest
The Diamond Jubilee is a very tough 6 furlongs which nearly found out Black Caviar. It is almost a race for milers in terms of our racing. I often wonder if Black Caviar had done too much racing before the Diamond Jubilee, one can understand the desire of the connections to set the record for consecutive wins before competing there though.
Harry
Guest
I think Shamal Wind is our best hope the race BB is in is tough as they come like the time Black Cav struggled I know there was travel issues but she nearly lost her crown in that race.