Day two of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting on Wednesday has just the one Group One race with six entries, but it will be very much a case of quality over quantity.
Over half a million pounds is the prize for the winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes; a 1 mile 2 furlong contest for 4-year-olds and above.
William Hill currently cannot separate the top two in the market; Adayar and Luxembourg are both at 3.25.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: June 20th, 9:30 A.M. (BST)
Godolphin’s Adayar returned from his winter break to win the Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket in May. He was last seen in 2022 finishing second in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, one of only two runs he had last year for trainer Charlie Appleby.
His latest Group 1 win was 2021’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at this meeting, but the 5-year-old looks set to run well under William Buick.
Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg’s last top triumph came in his most recent race, the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May.
Ryan Moore was back in the saddle after a fifth place in a Group 2 at the same course earlier that month under Wayne Lordan. A winner of the Irish Champion Stakes last September, this will be the 4-year-old’s first trip to Ascot.
Looking to go one better this time is last year’s runner-up, Bay Bridge (5.00), for Sir Michael Stoute.
Under Ryan Moore, the 5-year-old finished a length behind State Of Rest but this year it is Richard Kingscote’s job to steer him to victory.
Making a habit of becoming the bridesmaid, Bay Bridge was second to Luxembourg in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and third in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp in April but did get the better of Adayar in the Champion.
Also at 5.00 is My Prospero, the mount of Tom Marquand. Third in both last year’s Champion and St. James’s Palace Stakes, William Haggas’ 4-year-old was fourth in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in his only run this season.
Mostahdaf (23.00) has had mixed fortunes when running over 1 mile 4 furlongs of late; fourth last time in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan and last of 20 in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but a win at Kempton.
When running closer to tomorrow’s distance, John & Thady Gosden’s 5-year-old has fared better, winning a Group 3 in Riyadh in February. Jim Crowley takes his usual ride.
Completing the field is 81.00 American outsider Classic Causeway for Kenneth McPeek, a surprise winner of the Belmont Derby Invitational last summer.
