The warm weather in England continues through Wednesday, the second day of Royal Ascot, traditionally known as “Ladies Day.”
The 1 ¼-mile Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) is the featured attraction on the card with a compelling matchup of Ombudsman [last year’s winner] and Daryz. They are listed as 6-5 co-favorites on an expected firm turf course.
The Prince of Wales’s Stakes was named in 1892 and now run in honor of the current titleholder, Prince William. There was no race during World War II when there was no Prince of Wales, but it was resurrected in 1968, a year before William’s father, King Charles III, was given the title by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The race started as a Group 2 in 1971 and was promoted to Group 1 status in 2000.
Some of the more notable winners of the feature for older distance runners include Dubai Millennium, Bosra Sham, Fantastic Light, Rakti, Ouiji Board, Duke of Marmalade, So You Think, The Fugue, Highland Reel, Poet’s Voice, Lord North, State Of Rest, Auguste Rodin, and Mostahdaf.
Morny Cannon, who last rode a winner in this race in 1905, still leads all jockeys with six wins, while trainer John Porter has saddled eight, his most recent being Cannon’s last winner, Plum Center in 1905.
The silks of Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, have been worn by five winners, a number that was tied by Godolphin in 2011.
Last year’s winner, Ombudsman, seeks to become the fourth two-time winner of the race, Connaught (1969, 1970), Mtoto (1987, 1988), and Mutahrram (1994, 1995).
The John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Night of Thunder is coming off two wins in the Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan and the Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) at Sandown Park last out. The Aga Khan’s Studs Daryz, coming off two Group 1 wins this year, are listed as co-favorites.
Last year’s Betfred Oaks (G1) winner Minnie Hauk is also a notable runner in the field of eight.
The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the afternoon’s fourth race with a post time of 11:25 a.m. ET.
A field of 28 2-year-old fillies is expected for the 5-furlong Queen Mary Stakes (G2), a race named in honor of the British Queen Mary, best known as the consort of King George V and the great-grandmother of the current King Charles III.
American-based Lady Aurelia captured this event in 2016 on her route to a French Group 1 victory, and this year her trainer, Wesley Ward, will send out a pair in Churchill Downs maiden winner Ruiva, who will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, and two-time starter Shining Momet, who is also coming off a maiden win at Churchill Downs and will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.
American-based Frenchman Patrick Biancone sent Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes winner to England for her third career start. Tom Morley will saddle Keeneland maiden winner More Champagne, and top trainer Aidan O’Brien will send out the favorite in undefeated Coolmore Stud Irish E.B.F. Fillies Sprint Stakes (G3) winner Victorious.
The Queen Mary is the first race of the day with a post time of 9:30 a.m. ET.
The 1-mile Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2), whose name was changed from the Windsor Forest Stakes more than a decade ago in honor of Prince William (the current Duke of Cambridge and also the Prince of Wales), is one of two Group 2 races on the card.
For fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, a field of 14 is expected to break from the starting gate.
Soviet Song, who in 2004 was the highest-rated older female in the world and a multiple European champion (she died in 2015), is perhaps the best-known winner of this event.
Post time for the Duke of Cambridge has been set for 10:40 a.m. ET.
The Queen’s Vase (G2) is for 3-year-olds at Royal Ascot, run over 1 ½ miles. The race was established in 1838 over two miles, with the original trophy being a gold vase donated by Queen Victoria, who had recently ascended the throne. Though initially for 3-year-olds only, it opened to older horses in 1840 and then back to 3-year-olds for modern-day runnings.
Its name was changed to the King’s Vase in 1903 during the reign of Edward VII and reverted to the Queen’s Vase in 1960 upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2017, the race was upgraded from Listed to Group 2, and the distance was shortened to its current 1-mile.
Notable winners include Estimate, owned by Queen Elizabeth II [who also won the Gold Cup the following year]; and high-class stayers such as Stradivarius, Kew Gardens, Eldar Eldarov, and recent victors like Illinois and Carmers.
The Queen’s Vase drew 11 runners this year and is the afternoon’s second race with a post time of 10:05 a.m. ET.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
