Only one Group 1 race will be contest on Day 2 of the 2015 Royal Ascot Carnival, but the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2012m) has attracted a particularly talented field and is shaping as one of the meet’s stand-out events.
The scratching of 2014 Kentucky Derby champion California Chrome on Tuesday morning means only nine runners will take to the barriers for the 2015 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, including Australia’s second leading chance of success at the Carnival this year; Criterion.
Race 4 – 1:20am Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2012m)
Some of the world’s standout 2000m specialists have made the trip to Ascot for the 2015 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and as a result, the race undoubtedly figures as one of the carnival’s most interesting from a betting perspective.
Dermot Weld-trained stallion Free Eagle has appeared on course just four times competitively but has found exceptional form this time in and maintains position at the head of 2015 Prince Of Wales’s betting markets at current $3.75 odds for success.
Yet to finish outside the first three, the High Chaparral entire won the Group 3 Enterprise Stakes (2012m) by more than seven lengths first-up before finishing a credible third in the Group 1 Qipco Champion Stakes (2012m) at Royal Ascot on October 18th.
Talented French raider Ectot ($6) was unable to make anything of an impact when seventeenth in the Group 1 Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe (2400m) most recently in October, but flies fresh and is sure to be right in the finish of the Princes Of Wales’s Stakes.
The Grey Gatsby ($7) has received a strong lead-in to the 2015 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and will be tough to beat with regular and leading hoop Ryan Moore aboard.
Capping a strong 2014 campaign with success in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes (2012m) in September, the Mastercraftsman entire ran second in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m) first-up on March 28th before boxing on for fourth in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (2112m) on May 24th.
Two runners currently share the fourth line of 2015 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes betting in Western Hymn and leading Australian chance Criterion; who offers great value for money at a quote of $8.
A three-time Group 1 champion, the Sebring entire posted a career-best win to date in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on Day 2 of The Championships and will reportedly line up for the feature race in peak condition.