On Tuesday, three Group 1 races are among those taking place with the G1 Queen Anne S. kicking off the card at 11.30pm AEST. All seven races have at least three runners with Australian connections with the biggest connection coming in the G1 Saint James’s Palace S. at 1.20am AEST when future Australian stallion Lucky Vega (Ire) lines up in search of his second Group 1 victory.
Lucky Vega headline St James Palace
Race 4, The St James's Palace S., 1.20am AEST
As he continues his march toward a stud career at Yulong Stud in a few months, Lucky Vega looks to add a second Group 1 to his resume in the G1 St James’s Palace. Scheduled to stand for $22,000 (inc GST) in September, Lucky Vega also has two other Group 1 placings and was last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas.
Lucky Vega (Ire) | Standing at Yulong Stud
If Battleground (USA) (War Front {USA}) can win the St James’s Palace, he’ll continue a big month for his family after his dam’s full sister produced last weekend’s G1 Cazoo Oaks winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and his grandam produced the third-place finisher in the race who is also a full sister to his dam. Under his third dam is the stakes-placed trio of Alcohol (Bianconi {USA}), Alcobro (Bianconi {USA}), and Montepulciano (All Too Hard) with their dam’s half-sister also producing stakes-placed and active racehorse Hypercane (Toronado {Ire}).
New Coolmore Australia shuttle stallion Wootton Bassett (GB) sends out his Group 2-winning son Chindit (Ire) in this spot. The colt’s grandam is a half-sister to the dam of multiple Australian winner Last Week (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}), who is in training with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. Wootton Bassett also has Naamoos (Fr) in the race with that colt coming in off a 6l win at Sandown.
Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is looking to become the fourth Group winner for Inca Princess (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and second Group 1 winner for her when he lines up here. She is also the dam of Australian millionaire Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and their Group 2-winning full sister Elizabeth Browning (Ire). Also under Inca Princess’ name is the stakes winner and TDN Australia H. winner Sapa Inca (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The extended family also includes G1 Victoria Derby winner Johnny Get Angry (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and G1 South Australian Derby winner Markham (Salieri {USA}).
Ontario (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is trying a mile for just the second time in his career after placing in a Group 2 at the distance as a juvenile. Ontario’s family includes G3 Queen Elizabeth winner Jaameh (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who was retired at the end of last season.
Group 3 winner La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) sees a G1 Caulfield Cup runner as his Group 3-placed dam Bikini Babe’s (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) half-brother. That runner is one-time Australian visitor Scottish (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who finished second in the race.
Toronado (Ire) is represented by Bullace (GB) in Tuesday’s St James’s Palace. Bullace earned his first black type last month when he was third by 1l in a Listed stakes.
Sir Prancealot runner among Queen Anne entries
Race 1, The Queen Anne S., 11.30pm AEST
Sir Prancealot’s (Ire) Sir Busker (Ire) won at this meet last year and is stepping up to Group 1 level for his performance this year in the G1 Queen Anne S. over 1600 metres. He’s making his third start of the year and looking for his first victory since Royal Ascot 2020.
The winner of last year’s G1 St James’s Palace, Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is out of a half-sister to Listed Grafton Cup winner Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}). That gelding’s final race came in 2017 with Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse when he won a steeplechase.
The late Zebedee (GB) is represented in the G1 Queen Anne by Pogo (Ire). The 5-year-old horse has raced at Royal Ascot each of the three seasons he’s raced with his best finish coming last year when he ran third in the Royal Hunt Cup. He’s set to be one of two runners for his grandam Gleam Of Light (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), who is also the grandam of likely G1 Prince Of Wales’s runner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Stakes-placed Prince Eiji (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is making his first Group 1 appearance in the opening race at Royal Ascot. Out of Group 1 winner Izzi Top (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), the gelding sees Zee Zeely (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) under his second dam. Imported to Australia in 2014, Zee Zeely raced in the country for two years before moving to New Zealand in 2017. Sold at that year’s Inglis March Digital Sale for $19,000 the gelding never raced in his new country.
Cable Bay trio line up in King’s Stand
Race 3, The King's Stand S., 12.40am AEST
A full brother to Group 3 winner Collinsbay (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), stakes winner King’s Lynn (GB) represents The Queen in the G1 King’s Stand S. over 1000 metres. The gelding’s dam is a half-sister to the dam of Star Thoroughbreds’ Humbolt Current (GB) (Fastnet Rock), who has been racing in Australia since early 2019 and most recently trialled on the June 8. Cable Bay (Ire) will also be represented by Glamorous Anna (GB), who is looking for her first stakes victory, and his Group 2 winner Liberty Beach (GB) who finished third in this race last year.
Exceed And Excel’s Listed stakes winner Harry’s Bar (GB) is taking his first chance at Royal Ascot glory in the G1 King’s Stand S. one of two stakes performers for his stakes-winning dam alongside his Group 3-placed full brother Mazzini (GB), Harry’s Bar’s dam is a full sister to G1 July Cup winner Frizzante (GB) (Efisio {GB}).
Stakes winner and Group 1-placed Acklam Express (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) comes from a family of stakes horses with stakes winners under all three of his first three dams. The group includes Group 2 winner Now Or Later (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}), who spent a year and a-half racing in Australia, and G1 Caulfield Cup fourth Mad Rush (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}).
Making his fourth Royal Ascot start, and second in a Group 1 race at the meet, Stone Of Destiny (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) is a half-brother to Toronado’s Listed-winning Stone Tornado (GB). The trio’s dam is a half-sister to Artful Whisper (USA) (Machiavellian {USA}), who produced multiple Group 2-winning Australian Whispering Brook (Hinchinbrook). Artful Whisper recently sold for $19,000 in April’s Inglis Digital Sale after missing to Merchant Navy last year. The mare’s youngest foal is a Russian Revolution filly born last year. Sold to Katsumi Yoshida in 2019 for $1.1 million, Whispering Brook had a colt by Dundeel (NZ) last year and returned to him for her 2021 foal. Also in this family are Listed Mornington Cup winner Aktau (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) and stakes-winning half-siblings Born To Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Prettyhappyaboutit (Magnus).
American Pharoah’s (USA) Maven (USA) became the first Group winner for his sire in 2019 and is looking to become his first Royal Ascot winner on Tuesday. The 4-year-old gelding out of multiple stakes winner Richie’s Party Girl (USA) (Any Given Saturday {USA}) is also from the family of stakes winner and Group 1-placed Light The City (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) and Group 1-placed Illumination (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
Hveger represented in Coventry
Race 2, The Coventry S., 12.05am AEST
Out of a full sister to Swettenham Stud’s shuttle sire Highland Reel (Ire) is Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Angel Bleu’s dam is also a full sister to G1 Caulfield S. winner Cape Of Good Hope (Ire) and a half-sister to G1 VRC Oaks second Valdemoro (Encosta De Lago). His grandam Hveger (Danehill {USA}) is an Australian native who finished second in the G2 South Australian Oaks and was exported to Ireland in 2009. Hveger is a full sister to Champion Elvstroem and a half-sister to Champion Haradasun as well.
A grandson of four-time Group 1 winner Islington (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) comes from the family of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (Ire) and his sister’s Australian stakes performing duo of Tom Melbourne (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and Araaja (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Tom Melbourne was retired in April of 2020 to Living Legends and Fiorente stands at Widden Stud Victoria. Araaja had a Merchant Navy colt, her first foal, last year and is in foal to Pierro for 2021.
Churchill (Ire) | Standing at Coolmore Stud
A grandson of a half-sister to multiple Group winner Rekindled Interest (Redoute’s Choice), Eldrickjones (Ire) (Cotai Glory {Ire}) is hoping to break his maiden in this race in his second career start. Eldrickjones’ third dam Rekindled Affair (Ire) (Rainbow Quest {USA}) was imported to Australia in 2006 and had three foals in the country with two of the three performing at stakes level. Multiple daughters were also imported to Australia with one the dam of Group 1 winner Alabama Express and the other the dam of Group 2-placed Rekindled Power (Redoute’s Choice) and Group 3-placed Shuffle Up (Redoute’s Choice).
Coolmore Australia’s shuttle stallion Churchill’s (Ire) son Golden War (GB) is placed in his only start and lines up to break his maiden here. The juvenile is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), Hong Kong Group 3 winner California Whip (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) and Group 3 winner J Wonder (USA) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) with his dam’s non-stakes winning siblings including multiple Australian winner Mount Tabora (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}). Out of a half-sister to multiple Australian stakes winner Alexander Of Hales (USA) (Danehill {USA}), the Yulong Investments-owned Mount Tabora is in training with Toby and Trent Edmonds and most recently trialled on May 31.
Churchill also sends out The Acropolis (Ire), whose family includes former Australian runner Vaniloquio (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Australian Group 1-placed Carlton House (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}).
Haunui Farm’s shuttle stallion Ribchester (Ire) sees his first crop represented by Gisburn (Ire) in the Coventry. A half-brother to stakes winner Encrypted (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), his dam is also one of three stakes-placed runners for her own dam. The extended family of this colt includes Snitzel’s stakes-winning Pronto Pronto and Foxwedge’s Ireland Group 1-winning daughter Urban Fox (GB).
Darley Australia shuttle stallion Territories (Ire) has Masseto (GB) representing him in this spot. Already Group 3-placed, Masseto comes from a family that includes Group 1 winner Chorist (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).
Hunter Forward hoping for update in Wolferton
Race 6, The Wolferton S., 2.30am AEST
Australian-bred stakes-placed mare Hunter Forward (Galileo {Ire}) is the dam of Blue Cup (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}). Hunter Forward was exported from Australia as a 4-year-old and returned in 2018, where she has had two foals. The mare has a 2-year-old gelding named Storm Hunter (Siyouni {Fr}) in training with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, a weanling Foxwedge colt, and visited Omaha Beach (USA) last year. Under Blue Cup’s third dam are Group 1 winners Odeum (Written Tycoon) and Gytrash (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
Stakes winner Solid Stone (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) is a half-brother to former Australian runner Sour Mash (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and from the family of Group 3 winner Adorabeel (NZ) (Savabeel). Adorabeel has four foals with her youngest a Zoustar filly born last November. She also has a Russian Revolution yearling filly, a 2-year-old named Diva Diva (Pierro) in training with Joseph Pride, and a 3-year-old gelding named Captured In Time (Shooting To Win) in training with Kerry Parker.
Group 1-placed Fox Tal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is a half-brother to the dam of Australian runner Across Dubai (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Imported to Australia in 2018, Across Dubai is currently spelling for Chris Waller after last running in late April. Seen under Fox Tal’s second dam is Australian stakes winner Rugged Cross (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and G1 Caulfield Cup fourth Blue Monday (GB) (Darshaan {GB}).
Ascot S. runner Lucky Deal (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is out of a half-sister to the dam of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}). A grandson of successful broodmare Souk (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}), Lucky Deal also sees one of his dam’s half-sisters as the grandam of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s multiple Australian stakes winner Dr Drill (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who last ran on Saturday. Those under Souk’s daughters also include G1 Mackinnon S. winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and retired Australian stakes winner Tall Ship (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). This race also includes 4-year-old Golden Rules (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), who is out of a winning full sister to Magic Wand.
