The five races sure to divide punters at Royal Ascot 2019

King’s Stand

Will the ‘real’ Battaash please Stand up

There can be little doubt that when he’s at his imperious best, Battaash is able to destroy his rivals in the style of some of the sprinting greats from down the years. However, he’s far from straightforward and actually failed to land a single Group 1 race last season. He did look in fine form on his re-appearance, though, clocking one of his best career speed figures and he heads here as 15/8 favourite for a race he ran 2nd in last year, behind tomorrow’s chief rival Blue Point. Is the gelding finally ready to have the sort of season many think he could, leaving all comers in his wake, or will it be more of the same from the frustrating 5yo?

 

St James’s Palace Stakes

Was Phoenix Of Spain’s Irish 2000 a fluke?

Phoenix Of Spain was an emphatic, and somewhat surprise, winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance at the Curragh. It was a performance that is bound to divide opinion, on the one hand he was in control at the finish and there didn’t look to be any hard luck stories, but on the other he got a soft lead against rivals that arrived on the back of tough races (and even a flu jab in Too Darn Hot’s case!) and it will be fascinating to see if Charlie Hills’ charge can back up his Irish run. Throw in a progressive Gosden runner in King Of Comedy and a French raider with a solid profile and Phoenix Of Spain looks certain to go off odds against which some punters will believe is far too big! It’s an important race for Champion 2yo Too Darn Hot as well as he bids to get his career back on track. A fascinating contest!

A surprise in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas as @JPSPENCER1980 confidently guides Phoenix Of Spain to win for the Charlie Hills yard pic.twitter.com/zFn8vu92FH

— Horse Racing Ireland (@GoRacing) 25 May 2019

 

Prince Of Wales's Stakes

The race of the week?

A small but selected field are set to head to post in the The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, and it looks arguably to be the race of the week. On official ratings there’s just 3lbs between the top four in the betting – Magical, Sea Of Class, Waldgeist and Crystal Ocean and the two mares get a weight allowance from top rated Crystal Ocean which, when factored in, makes it eye-wateringly tight between them. Sea Of Class ran Enable close in the Arc before Magical did the same in the Breeders Cup and Wednesday’s ten furlong clash is utterly mouth-watering.

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RACE!

SEA OF CLASS comes within a whisker of a remarkable victory but ENABLE holds on to make it back-to-back wins in The Arc

A race that will go down in history pic.twitter.com/UBm9NDUl3w

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) October 7, 2018

 

Ascot Gold Cup

Stradivarius versus new rivals

Stradivarius cemented his status as the leading staying horse in training when landing last year’s Ascot Gold Cup en route to the Weatherby’s £1 million bonus and his season started in identical fashion when he landed the Yorkshire Cup at the Dante Festival on his seasonal reappearance last month. He faces a new challenge this week when trying to defend his Gold Cup as a whole host of fascinating new rivals have emerged in the shape of Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter, St Leger winner Kew Gardens, who represents a stable with an unrivalled record in this race and Dee Ex Bee, who was second in the 2018 Derby and looks to have real potential as a staying type. Stradivarius is the reigning Champion and very much the one to beat but he faces new challengers all trying to wrestle the crown from his grasp and it’ll make for an interesting watch if nothing else.

 

Commonwealth Cup

Ten Sovereigns back down to six furlongs

Aidan O’Brien’s Ten Sovereigns was the leading 2yo sprinter last season, winning on all three of his starts, all over six furlongs. He headed straight to the Guineas this year with stamina very much an unknown. Although his sire was incredibly speedy, his dam certainly stayed well and he ended up running into a perfectly acceptable 5th at Newmarket. Whether he wants this step down in trip is very much in question – if he improves for it the 11/8 on offer could look huge for this Group 1 winner but if he is indeed a miler then there could be plenty of value in opposing him. A race that is certain to divide punters more than most!