3 minute read

Australia couldn’t land a blow in the King’s Stand, but how will Artorius and co fare in the Platinum Jubilee?

Sorry, were there Australian contenders at Day 1 of Royal Ascot? I was too focused on Australia clinching the first Ashes test, must've missed it…

Nevertheless, the market seems to think Artorius is the best chance of the Australian quartet, heading the market for Saturday nights Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee (1200m).

Won by some Australian greats including Black Caviar, Merchant Navy, Starspangledbanner and Choisir, who is one of just three horses to complete the King's Stand/Jubilee double in the same year.

This year we have Artorius back for a second crack at the race having dead heated for third last year, The Astrologist, who has been via Dubai and had a couple of runs in the UK in preparation and Cannonball backing up from an underwhelming run on Tuesday.

For an Australian comparison, the following table shows where our raiders where at and what they ran to in winning England's most prestigious sprint. Note that Merchant Navy and Starspangledbanner were technically trained by Aidan O'Brien when they ran in the UK, but we're claiming them.

Artorius fits in just below most of these. Merchant Navy had promised to be better than his 120 and confirmed that before the Diamond Jubilee, winning the Group 2 Greenlands Stakes (1207m) and running to 126.

Artorius is rated 122 by Timeform at his peak which came in the Group 1 July Cup (1207m) at Newmarket last year, having run to 120 in the Platinum Jubilee last year.

Two runs back in Australia have netted a Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) win, running to 121+ and a narrow fourth to Anamoe in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), rated 118.

The key difference this year, I hope, is intent. Last year the stable opted for local jockey Jamie Spencer, somewhat known as a 'patient' rider, which only compounded with Artiorius' 'patient' style, resulting in him settling 16th of 24, whereas the quinella settled 4th and 5th.

We saw some Purton magic in the Canterbury, actually able to get him out of the gates and settle a mere five lengths off the lead, and in the George Ryder he was able to settle in the first half of the field!

Now he returns with McDonald onboard, in what the market would tell you is an easier race. Let's have a look at some of the rivals.

The Astrologist has gone globe-trotting of late, running in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) in Dubai and finishing a very game second but only running to 115. He's had two preparation runs at York and Haydock, well beaten in the former but solid in the latter, running to 114 when second in a Group 3.

His peak is 117, which he's run three times, twice over the Flemington 1200m behind Roch 'N' Horse. That won't be good enough to win here, and he was awful at York two back when 7 lengths behind Highfield Princess. He might stick on for a top four finish if he runs to his best, but I can't see him running any better than that.

Speaking of Highfield Princess, the intention appears to be for her to back up following Tuesday's near miss. She beat Artorius home at Deauville when she won the Group 1 Prix De Gheest, Artorius only managing 6th there.

Whilst she was rolled on Tuesday, she has performances over 1000-1300m that go very close in this, with her past two efforts at six furlongs returning ratings of 120, which under weight-for-age given her four pound allowance, would see her rate higher than Artorius at his best.

The other interesting runner is Wellington, over from Hong Kong. Once their headline sprinter, he's taken a back seat to superstar Lucky Sweynesse, battling for the minors in the major Hong Kong sprints in the past six months.

Still, he did run to 122 winning the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December, with Lucky Sweynesse a horror watch in behind, and a peak of 124 would go awfully close to winning this. Since December however, he hasn't managed to crack 120, and his past three ratings average at 114.67. Combine that with perhaps unfavourable softer ground than he'd like, I think he's easy enough to oppose.

Outside of the raiders, it's a bit of a lottery but I think the one that might be the biggest danger is Kinross. He's more of a sprinter/miler having last been seen running third to Modern Games in the Group 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, notching up his fifth rating of 120 or above.

Prior to that he won his first six furlong race, taking out the Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes (1207m), notably at Ascot, and running to 124 in a comprehensive win, with last year's Jubilee second placegetter Creative Force well back in third.

That form is easily good enough to be winning this considering it's 2 pounds higher than Artorius has managed, and he, along with Highfield Princess, make most appeal at 7-1 apiece.