A British-trained winner of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday would be fitting in the first edition of the race since the monarch’s passing, and is distinctly possible given the current favourite.
William Haggas’ 5-year-old, Dubai Honour, currently leads the market at 2.37 with William Hill for the 1 mile 2 furlong contest on turf, first run in 1851 but renamed after Elizabeth II in 1954.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 6th, 2:00 P.M. (BST)
The Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill was his first win since October 2021 at Longchamp and has run in England, the UAE and Hong Kong since, with varying success, including second in both the September Stakes at Kempton and the York Stakes.
Tom Marquand takes the ride back from Ryan Moore; Marquand has four fourths and a second in his five rides on Dubai Honour.
Not seeing Anamoe as favourite for any race is a surprise, but James Cummings’ 4-year-old is only second favourite at 2.75.
He has won seven of his last eight races, six of those wins were Group 1s, while four were at Randwick including the Chipping Norton Stakes, which he backed up by taking the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill three weeks ago.
A gap in prices trails the two heavy favourites with Unicorn Lion and Cascadian both at 11.00.
Unicorn Lion finished in mid-division in the Kyoto Kinen in February and was well back in the Japan Cup before that. His last race over this weekend’s distance did see Yoshito Yahagi’s 7-year-old take victory in the Fukushima Kinen. Damian Lane takes the ride for the first time.
Cascadian has been heavily raced recently, taking on three outings in March, first a fifth place in the Canterbury Stakes then second to Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile before winning the Australian Cup at Flemington a fortnight ago.
Runner-up to Dubai Honour in the Ranvet was 17.00 shot Montefilia, who also took second prize a week later in the HE Tancred Stakes. Dylan Gibbons is on board again but it will take some effort to gain a hat-trick of second places.
Third in the Ranvet was Mo’unga (23.00) who has finished second or third in eight Group 1s since his only win in one; the 2021 Winx Stakes at Randwick.
Alenquer (41.00) has been in poor form since winning the Irish Gold Cup last May, while Zeyrek (41.00) won a Group 3 at Rosehill last time but has not done well in Group 1 company.
Numerian is also at 41.00 and it’s 51.00 bar for the 13-horse contest.
