Expert - Bill Esdaile
Bill Esdaile has worked in racing journalism in the United Kingdom for over 20 years. He began his working career at the Sporting Life back in 1995, and has since worked for the Racing Post, The Sportsman, and is currently racing editor of London-based City AM. He is a keen form student, and will bring a unique insight into the major European races.

Expert Column for King's Stand Stakes Day (S1) (Bill Esdaile)

S1-1 Queen Anne Stakes

The traditional opener to Royal Ascot is all about BAAEED, who is rated on the same mark at 125 as Hong Kong’s champion GOLDEN SIXTY by the world’s official assessors. BAAEED, a magnificent looking racehorse, is 7-7 and will start the shortest priced favourite of the week. Connections refuse to accept the possibility of defeat. It’s amazing to think that BAAEED did not appear on a racecourse until June last year. He has come an awful long way in a short time and just got better and better in his first season, ending with a pair of G1 successes in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at ParisLongchamp and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot that both over 1,600m. BAAEED, who has a bombproof temperament, also has a stunning gear change which had the Newbury crowd gasping when he exploded into turbo drive on his reappearance in last month’s G1 Lockinge Stakes.

BAAEED shredded the opposition that day, and, though REAL WORLD (second), CHINDIT (third) and SIR BUSKER (fifth) renew rivalry, it would need a complete blow-out from the favourite to envisage a form reversal.

REAL WORLD looks the obvious alternative. He did not perform well on dirt in Dubai or Saudi Arabia during the winter, but Newbury was his only defeat in six races on turf and he was awesome when annihilating 29 opponents in the Royal Hunt Cup over 1,600m a year ago.

CHINDIT, five lengths behind BAAEED in Lockinge Stakes, should be again in the mix. He is a smart G2 horse, but in four attempts at the top level he has been found wanting, so being content with a minor place could again be the likely outcome.

ACCIDENTAL AGENT, who belied huge odds when winning this race four years ago, is ideally suited by a straight track with an uphill finish. Though now eight, he retains all his old enthusiasm, winning at Newmarket over 1,400m and finishing second in the highly competitive Victoria Cup over 1,400m in two handicaps this season.

SIR BUSKER is another who excels over this 1,600m charge on the straight course and was only beaten a neck in Listed grade here in April. Granted, SIR BUSKER was a big outsider in this race two years ago, but he finished just a length behind CHINDIT in the Lockinge Stakes so has to be respected.

SELECTIONS: 2. BAAEED, 5. REAL WORLD, 3. CHINDIT, 1. ACCIDENTAL AGENT & 6. SIR BUSKER

S1-2 Coventry Stakes

The G2 Coventry Stakes, run over 1,200m, is Royal Ascot’s premier juvenile race and it looks a hot contest this year.

PERSIAN FORCE made a huge impact when bolting up in a 2yo Conditions over 1,003m at Doncaster on his debut. The form of that race, on the opening day of the turf flat season, looks good and Richard Hannon’s youngster had no trouble following it up with victory in a 1,200m Newbury conditions contest. He has a dangerous amount of pace and clearly stays this 1,200m distance.

It’s hard to know what he beat in winning a 1,200m York novice last month, but the way BRADSELL blew away his rivals on that debut was incredibly impressive. He had nine lengths to spare over the runner-up at the winning line and his trainer Archie Watson has shown he knows what it takes to win 2YO races at Royal Ascot.

Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien is looking to improve on his record with nine Coventry Stakes victories. His BLACKBEARD is unbeaten after three races, and he has improved with every start. His first two wins came over 1,000m and he put in his best performance when upped to 1,200m for a Curragh G3 three weeks ago. Making all the running, he pulled clear of TOUGH TALK to register an impressive success and his experience will count for plenty in a race like this.

ROYAL SCOTSMAN stepped up on his debut fourth behind NOBLE STYLE over 1,000m at Ascot to win a Goodwood novice race in great style. He clearly improved for the step up to 1,200m as he cruised through the race before pulling clear for a five-length success. That looked a decent contest so to put so much daylight between himself and his rivals was most impressive.

O’Brien’s AGE OF KINGS lost out by a nose to the more experienced SHARTASH on his debut over 1,186m at Naas in May. He made no mistakes on his second start when landing an uncompetitive Curragh contest over 1,200m two weeks ago. His pedigree suggests he’ll come into his own when stepped up in distance, but he seems to have enough pace for this 1,200m race for now.

SELECTIONS: 10. PERSIAN FORCE, 3. BRADSELL, 2. BLACKBEARD, 13. ROYAL SCOTSMAN & 1. AGE OF KINGS

1ST DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S1-2:
Banker – 10. PERSIAN FORCE
Selections – 3. BRADSELL, 2. BLACKBEARD, 13. ROYAL SCOTSMAN & 1. AGE OF KINGS
S1-3:
Banker – 12. NATURE STRIP
Selections – 5. GOLDEN PAL, 16. TWILIGHT CALLS, 10. MAN OF PROMISE & 17. MOONEISTA

S1-3 King's Stand Stakes

There is certainly an international feel to this year’s G1 King’s Stand Stakes over 1,000m.

And it’s a contender from Australia in the shape of NATURE STRIP that looks the one to beat. The 8YO is an eight-time G1 winner over both 1,000m and 1,200m, and heads to Royal Ascot on the back of an impressive victory in the G1 T J Smith Stakes over 1,200m at Randwick – his third consecutive victory in the race. That came on a right-handed track, but he also has victories over 1,000m and 1,200m on the straight track at Flemington, so Ascot’s straight 1,000m should hold no fears.

GOLDEN PAL is another foreign raider, this time from America, who looks sure to go well. Wesley Ward’s son of UNCLE MO is no stranger to UK shores having run twice in Britain over 1,000m at Ascot and York. He wasn’t particularly fancied for the 2020 G2 Norfolk Stakes but ran a fine race to finish a close second on ground that was slower than ideal. The 4YO followed that up with three wins over 1,100m before disappointing in the 2021 G1 Nunthorpe Stakes. He’s won three times since, though, and his trainer is confident of a big run.

Ryan Moore will be hoping to win this race for the first time with TWILIGHT CALLS. Henry Candy’s contender stuck to handicaps last season, winning at Doncaster over 1,200m and Newmarket over 1,000m, but has taken giant strides this campaign. He capitalised on a lenient-looking mark on his seasonal debut at Newmarket over 1,000m before running well in the G3 Palace House Stakes over the same course and distance. The son of TWILIGHT SON was a bit unlucky there, as well as in the G2 Temple Stakes at Haydock, and he could have a say here if catching the breaks.

On the back of his impressive Meydan G3 win over 1,200m, MAN OF PROMISE has place claims. He bolted up there and is still lightly raced for his age, so it’s fair to suggest there is more to come. He does need to prove he’ll handle this drop back to 1,000m, though.

I can see MOONEISTA running well too. The 4YO filly has some solid form in the book, including a victory in the G2 Sapphire Stakes over 1,000m last season. She ran really well over 1,200m in a Curragh G2 last time and this drop back in trip will play to her strengths.

SELECTIONS: 12. NATURE STRIP, 5. GOLDEN PAL, 16. TWILIGHT CALLS, 10. MAN OF PROMISE & 17. MOONEISTA

S1-4 St James's Palace Stakes

There is no shortage of class in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes over 1,598m, and on the face of it there are none classier than COROEBUS. The son of DUBAWI has already picked up G1 honours this year when landing the 2000 Guineas Stakes over 1,600m at Newmarket, and there didn’t seem to be any luck involved in the victory. He had his stablemate NATIVE TRAIL firmly beat in second place, who has since followed up with victory in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas over 1,600m, and there are still signs there’s more to come from the Charlie Appleby-trained colt.

Leading the challenge is MY PROSPERO, who was last seen when putting in a strong performance against REACH FOR THE MOON in the Listed Heron Stakes over 1,600m at Sandown. REACH FOR THE MOON is a well-regarded type and clearly has a taste for Sandown having already landed the G3 Solario Stakes over 1,400m there, but MY PROSPERO picked up the bridle very well 400m from home that day and stayed on powerfully for Tom Marquand. He could prove to be a real threat if improving on just his fourth start for William Haggas.

Another of Haggas’ runners is the unbeaten MALJOOM who firmly fits in the ‘could be anything’ category. After two effortless victories on home soil, he was last seen in the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen German 2000 Guineas over 1,600m, where he had THE WIZARD OF EYE well beaten in fifth by nine-and-a-half lengths. THE WIZARD OF EYE had previously finished down the field to COROEBUS in the G1 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket. However, there aren’t many top-level races that Haggas hasn’t won and this is one of them, which is something to be cautious of.

A trainer who does favour this race, though, is John Gosden who has saddled two of the last four winners. This time he sends MIGHTY ULYSSES, and while this is a significant step up in class for the son of ULYSSES, his trainer clearly knows what is required to land the spoils here.

Rounding out the selections is David Simcock’s LIGHT INFANTRY. He won both his starts as a juvenile, including the G3 Horris Hill Stakes over 1,400m, and wasn’t disgraced behind COROEBUS in the aforementioned 2000 Guineas Stakes on his first start this term. Simcock’s contender made plenty of late progress at Newmarket and should come on from that here.

SELECTIONS: 6. COROEBUS, 11. MY PROSPERO, 9. MALJOOM, 10. MIGHTY ULYSSES & 7. LIGHT INFANTRY

S1-5 Ascot Stakes (Handicap)

Leading jumps trainer Willie Mullins has won the 4,001m Ascot Stakes four times, three of which have been ridden by Ryan Moore, and the deadly duo team up again with BRING ON THE NIGHT. Formerly trained by Andre Fabre, where he won over 2,400m and 2,500m, he’s run three times for Mullins. He was a very good winner of a 3,092m hurdles at Naas on his stable debut, before being pitched in at the deep end in a G1 over hurdles at Cheltenham over 3,279m where he was far from disgraced in fourth. The son of GLENEAGLES didn’t settle when next seen at Punchestown over 3,200m and will need to do better here, but given his connections, he has to be respected.

Another Irish jumps handler in Gordon Elliott looks to hold solid claims with PIED PIPER. Like BRING ON THE NIGHT, he’s a former flat campaigner who’s now plying his trade over hurdles. He was a pretty handy horse when trained by John & Thady Gosden and his last run for the duo was a commanding four-length victory in a Leicester handicap over 2,000m. And he’s continued that positive trajectory since moving to Elliott having failed to finish out of the first three in four starts, including a nine-length procession in a G2 juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham over 3,363m in January. Based on those efforts, he could be very well-handicapped.

Another Irish raider is ARCADIAN SUNRISE and he looks the one to side with. John Queally’s 8YO warmed for this with a solid fourth in the Chester Cup over 3,727m where the sharp track didn’t really play to his strengths. He won a good handicap at York last season over 3,251m and this stiffer test of stamina and more galloping track is likely to suit. A big run looks on the cards with Harry Davies’ claim only improving his chances.

The best of the British challenge could come from COLTRANE. Andrew Balding’s contender won a good handicap at York in 2020 over 2,800m but hasn’t done much since. However, he ran really well in the aforementioned Chester Cup, finishing ahead of ARCADIAN SUNRISE and he looks well worth a go at this marathon trip. The winner of that race looks a Group horse in the making, so a repeat of that run would see COLTRANE go close.

Last year’s surprise winner RESHOUN was an eyecatcher over 2,359m at Haydock last time and you can be sure this race will have been the plan again.

SELECTIONS: 4. ARCADIAN SUNRISE, 8. PIED PIPER, 13. BRING ON THE NIGHT, 3. COLTRANE & 6. RESHOUN

2ND DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S1-5:
Banker – 4. ARCADIAN SUNRISE
Selections – 8. PIED PIPER, 13. BRING ON THE NIGHT, 3. COLTRANE & 6. RESHOUN
S1-6:
Banker – 1. CADILLAC
Selections – 9. JUAN ELCANO, 14. TASMAN BAY, 3. MAJESTIC DAWN & 7. FOXES TALES

TREBLE SELECTIONS (27 unit bets):
S1-5: Multiple – 4. ARCADIAN SUNRISE, 8. PIED PIPER & 13. BRING ON THE NIGHT
S1-6: Multiple – 1. CADILLAC, 9. JUAN ELCANO & 14. TASMAN BAY
S1-7: Multiple – 5. CLEVELAND, 3. STOWELL & 14. PLATINUMCARD

S1-6 Wolferton Stakes

JUAN ELCANO returns to defend his crown in this and Kevin Ryan’s 5YO is sure to have been targeted at the race again. He made the running on his return to action this season in the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes over 1,990m at Sandown where he was easily outpaced by his two rivals in the closing stages. Judging by his past record, JUAN ELCANO tends to come on for his first run, as shown by him winning this on his second start of the 2021 campaign. He looks a strong contender and should be able to reverse form from last time with FOXES TALES from their run at Sandown over 1,990m.

FOXES TALES seems an improved horse this season and can be forgiven his latest run as he didn’t look to stay the 2,400m trip at Newbury. Given a good pace to aim at, he is capable of hitting the frame at a course he has won at before.

MAJESTIC DAWN finished behind FOXES TALES in G3 company over 2,091m last season, but probably recorded a career best performance most recently at Goodwood, when making all the running to win the Listed Festival Stakes over 1,979m in May. He received a brilliant ride from the front from Jim Crowley that day, so it could be form to treat with a degree of caution, but it was still impressive the way he galloped all the way to the line. Crowley resumes the partnership here and while dominating this field will be far more challenging, MAJESTIC DAWN’s consistent 2,000m form at this level gives him definite claims.

Despite being a G2 winner as a 2YO, CADILLAC has often failed to fulfil his clear potential. He won the G3 International Stakes over 2,000m last season but disappointed after that and began this campaign with two below par efforts at Leopardstown over 1,600m and the Curragh over 2,000m. However, he bounced back to his best in the Listed Glencairn Stakes over 1,800m when bolting up by over 3.8 lengths and if the same sort of form here, he’s a real challenger.

At a big price, TASMAN BAY is worth a mention. He hasn’t run since a good third in a G2 at Deauville over 2,000m last summer, but that was one of plenty of solid bits of form he has under his belt. He was second to the now G1-winning ALENQUER in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting last year over 2,392m and wasn’t beaten that far by the superstar that is BAAEED over 1,600m. A repeat of those runs would see him outrun his odds.

SELECTIONS: 1. CADILLAC, 9. JUAN ELCANO, 14. TASMAN BAY, 3. MAJESTIC DAWN & 7. FOXES TALES

S1-7 Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap)

CLEVELAND looks to be heading for Group races, so he should be able to land the 2,841m Copper Horse Stakes before he waves goodbye to handicaps. He won a 1,800m Curragh maiden as a juvenile, so he was always likely to come into his own as a stayer, but his progress was halted when he missed the whole of last year. It was obvious he was going to improve for his first run of this season when fifth in a Naas Listed race over 2,000m. That distance was too short for him, and he put in an excellent performance when landing the prestigious Chester Cup over 3,727m in May. Making up ground from the rear very easily, he was better value than the neck winning distance.

STOWELL did incredibly well to finish third behind KEMARI in the G2 Queen’s Vase over this course and distance at Royal Ascot last year considering he came from much further back than ideal. He has returned this season with a couple of solid efforts. The way he stayed on when third in a Newbury G3 over 2,400m in April suggested he needed a return to this 2,841m distance. His fourth behind the smart AL AASY over 2,392m in an Ascot Listed race last month just underlined his stamina.

Jumps trainers have an excellent record in Royal Ascot’s staying handicaps. There are few better than Ireland-based Gordon Elliott and he runs PLATINUMCARD. This 3,200m hurdles winner has a sound chance on his second behind subsequent G3 winner BAY BRIDGE in a 2,051m York handicap last year. And he has the potential to be even better over this longer distance.

JUAN DE MONTALBAN lost his way last season after finishing runner-up in the G2 Italian Derby. A move to Kevin Philippart de Foy this year has seen him return to form. There was a lot to like about the way he landed a competitive 2,392m Ascot handicap last month and the longer distance won’t be a problem.

OKITA SOUSHI makes only his fourth career start and while not looking obviously well-handicapped, he could be a bit better than this grade. Joseph O’Brien’s son of GALILEO was a winner of a 2,400m Fairyhouse maiden on debut this time last year and ran a fine race to be second to stablemate RAISE YOU in a Listed event at the Curragh over 2,400m last month. He is very unexposed, and connections will be hoping for a big run.

SELECTIONS: 5. CLEVELAND, 3. STOWELL, 14. PLATINUMCARD, 11. JUAN DE MONTALBAN & 4. OKITA SOUSHI

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