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    King Charles III Stakes Runners - 17 Go To Post For Group 1 Sprint

    Joe Napier
    Joe Napier
    June 17, 2024
    King Charles III Stakes Runners - 17 Go To Post For Group 1 Sprint

    A prospective field of 17 will line up for the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes on the first day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, 18th June. An international flavour abounds, with runners confirmed from Australia and the USA, as well as a traditionally strong Irish challenge.

    However, the pre-eminent horse in the race appears to be Mick Appleby’s flying three-year-old Big Evs. The son of Blue Point, a former winner of this race when it was known as the King’s Stand Stakes, won four of his six starts as a juvenile, concluding with a successful invasion at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. He returned to further bolster his reputation by taking a lead before kicking clear at York in Listed company under a penalty and could take the sprinting division by storm.

    Haydock Sprint Cup winner Regional is twice his age, but another who may not have stopped improving. He also represents a northern yard for Edward Bethell, with recent Pattern winners Kerdos and Believing also standing their ground for the hosts.

    The sole Australian candidate is Asfoora for Henry Dwyer. The Southern Hemisphere nation have excelled with sprinters in the last decade, and Dwyer’s mare is already a Group 2 champion down under. She was fourth to Kerdos on her first start in this country, but could well improve, while Crimson Advocate won at this meeting for the USA a year ago. She has been purchased by new powerhouses Wathnan Racing and will attempt to back up her victory in the 2023 Queen Mary Stakes.

    It could well be that the prize returns to Ireland for the first time since Sole Power won the race a decade ago. The Adrian Murray-trained and Amo Racing-owned Norfolk Stakes hero Valiant Force is a three-year-old blessed with prodigious pace.

    King Charles III Stakes Runners

    King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series)