The world’s top-rated sprinter, Battaash, leads the Royal Ascot charge this week for Shadwell at the iconic meeting, headlining the Gr1 King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday, a race he won in 2020—one of a leading six victories for the powerhouse operation at last year’s global spectacular.
The famed blue and white silks of the late His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum will feature formidably once again, but all focus on Day One of the five-day showcase will be on the aforementioned champion.
Charlie Hills-trained Battaash will have a tall order in what is the day’s third of seven fixtures, but he has been backed to 15/8 favouritism on the market, as of Monday morning.
Owing to a miniscule joint fracture over the winter, he missed a prep run, which would likely have come in the Gr2 Temple Stakes—a race the now-7-year-old won in 2018 and 2019 prior to finishing second in the King’s Stand to retired rival Blue Point. Last year, he won the King’s Stand in his first start of 2020, commencing a perfect 3-for-3 season that included a fourth consecutive triumph in Goodwood’s King George Qatar Stakes (G2) and a second conquering of York’s Nunthorpe (G1).
Battaash has drawn barrier nine of 16 in the straight five-furlong dash, with flashy upstart filly Winter Power (9/2), Gr1 July Cup winner Oxted (15/2) and G1 Al Quoz Sprint victor Extravagant Kid (8/1) appearing the major dangers. He reunites with Shadwell’s first jockey, Jim Crowley, who has been aboard for all four of his Group 1 victories.
“It has been well documented that he had a minor injury at the end of last year and he was at Shadwell for the whole of the winter, but everybody has been very happy with his work in the last three weeks and Charles Hills feels he has been moving as well as ever,” said Angus Gold, longtime racing manager for Shadwell.
“From what they can see at home, he doesn’t appear to have lost his speed, so hopefully he can get back to his best to defend his title.”
Less than half Battaash’s age, but nearly as exciting on the day will be John Gosden-trained sophomore Mostahdaf, who figures well in the 3-year-old-restricted Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes just 40 minutes later.
A stunning homebred son of the great Frankel and a half-brother to late-blooming Gr1 winner Nazeef—victorious last year in Royal Ascot’s Duke of Cambridge (G2)—the dark bay colt is unbeaten from three tries, including Sandown’s Heron Stakes (Listed) over soft going. In 2018, Gosden pulled off the Heron-St James’s Palace double with Without Parole.
“It is obviously a huge step up in class,” Gold said. “He is a half-brother to Nazeef, who won the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at this meeting last year, before going on to become a dual Group 1 winner, and this horse has won his only three starts to date, with his latest performance being a game effort in a Listed race at Sandown Park. Obviously, he lacks the experience of some of these, particularly as he has only had one previous race on the grass, but John Gosden has been very happy with his progress since Sandown and obviously wouldn’t be running him in this grade if he didn’t think he had a chance. It would be great if he was able to make the big jump up in class.”
Mostahdaf teams with Crowley from barrier one of the baker’s dozen and is currently second choice at 5/1 on the market astern Guineas winner Poetic Flare (3/1). In what appears a deep renewal, others who figure well are Group 2 winner Battleground (13/2) for Ballydoyle, Godolphin’s Heron runner-up Highland Avenue (7/1) and Irish G1 winners Thunder Moon (10/1) and Lucky Vega (15/2).
Well-regarded Owen Burrows pupil Dawaam (post 7, Crowley) steps up in the Wolferton Stakes (Listed), a race that has outperformed its grade in recent years, having been won by multiple Gr1 winner Addeybb in 2019.
In 2020, Gr1 winner Sir Dragonet and Gr1-placed Regal Reality both placed in the 10-furlong test.
By Kitten’s Joy out of Gr1 American Oaks winner Nereid, synthetic surface-loving Dawaam is 4-for-7 and has yet to transfer winning form to the grass.
He is currently a bit of an outsider at 18/1 in a 14-horse field that includes Gr1 Dubai Turf-placed Felix (15/2), multiple Gr2 winner Stormy Antarctic (14/1) and Gr3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy winner Volcanic Sky (25/1). Improving Meld Stakes (G3) winner Patrick Sarsfield (4/1) heads the market.
“(Dawaam) is a frustrating horse in that he has a great deal of ability, but has had niggling problems that have curtailed his racing career,” Gold said. “We will probably put a pair of blinkers on him to try and get the best out of him, but he will need to step up to be competitive here.”
