Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (1m2f, Wednesday, June 16, 4.20pm)
Royal Ascot is the biggest week in the British flat racing calendar. Alongside a plethora of Group 1s, racing fans are treated to some of the most competitive handicaps of the year, and some cracking juvenile contests that unearth future stars. In anticipation of this year’s meeting, Daryl Carter is providing his expert analysis and ante-post betting selections for all of the big Royal Ascot races. Here, Daryl provides his thoughts on the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes – the feature race on on Day 2 of Royal Ascot.
Lord North
Lord North, winner of the Prince Of Wales Stakes last year in impressive style, followed up with an excellent third in the Juddmonte International at York. He ran below par here on soft ground behind Addeybb in the Champion Stakes before a non-staying performance over 1m4f in the Breeders’ Cup Turf when fourth of ten.
He put that run behind him on return in March at Meydan to land the Group 1 Dubai Turf in great style but did burst a blood vessel and, according to reports, had a degree of bleeding. His profile has somewhat of a patchy look to it because his soft ground defeat here on Champions Day can’t be blamed on the ground. He looks short enough from an ante-post perspective and can be left alone.
Love
A three-time Group 1 winner last term, including the 1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks, all in grand style and she is hard to knock.
Armory
He looked better than ever when landing the Huxley Stakes at Chester, and he has multiple entries, including the Queen Anne over 1m. He showed plenty at three to suggest the ability is there and he may just be blooming later than expected so has a big shout.
Addeybb
The seven-year-old has been somewhat of a globe-trotting revelation in the last two years, but this Ascot track is very much his home with form figures of 122101, and when the ground is soft, they read 1210. Age is no barrier and will likely arrive here off the back of Group 1 success in Australia. This is likely his target at this meeting and won’t mind what the ground does, so he looks an attractive price on that basis.
Alpine Star
She has the option of the Queen Anne as well as this race, and again this filly similar to Love is very hard to knock on what she has achieved to date. A runner-up on her last three starts in Group 1 races only beaten by Palace Pier, Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Tarnawa and subsequent Group 1 winner Fancy Blue. Along with Love, she holds the strongest form lines in the race and should she run here, she won’t be the current 8/1 on offer.
Sangarius
Chased home Armory at Chester on seasonal return and has notoriously needed the run each year and he was better than the bare result after being denied a clear run. He will need to improve on that effort should the two fillies turn up here but they aren’t certain to and he is a Royal Ascot Hampton Court winner last term. This is a different kettle of fish but he is progressive.
Conclusion
Easily the value in this race lies with ALPINE STAR, and the uncertainty of whether this will be the target is probably compensated enough in the price to take the hit should she drop back to 1m. She has the strongest form in the race, and we know Palace Pier heads to the Queen Anne and once that affects the market, she will surely be heading it.