King's Stand Result: Lady Aurelia storms clear at Royal Ascot again

Trained by Wesley Ward, last year's Queen Mary winner Lady Aurelia (7/2) again showed her best form, always travelling well and kicking clear with a furlong to run under American jockey John Velazquez.

Last year's winner Profitable (14/1), trained by Clive Cox and ridden by James Doyle was second, with the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Marsha (11/4f) third.

Watch her go! Lady Aurelia (7-2) stops the clock at a little over 57 seconds in a scorching King's Stand Stakes pic.twitter.com/ltSMLtLvY8

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 20, 2017

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Ward said: "That was awesome. Lady Aurelia is a very special filly.

"You never know [what will happen]. This is a Group One with some of the fastest horses in the world, and to duplicate what she did last year, she is a once in a lifetime horse.

"She loves it over here. We look forward to a really big summer and then the Breeders' Cup. The owners are so excited. It is wonderful for American racing."

"All the team have done a fantastic job with her and she really is something special.

"I feel so bad for my Frankie. I feel really happy for John so if you watching Frankie, you're with us.

"She has immense talent and immense speed. Hopefully, with the experience she has now, she should get better and better."

Ward suggested that a tilt at the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August is next on the agenda for the US-bred filly, for which she is an Even money favourite with Paddy Power and Ladbrokes.

"This is a once in a lifetime horse and I need to sit down with the owners but I would like to go the Nunthorpe Stakes at York with her next.

"We'll get her home just like we have one the other times and hopefully she can run like she did today. She is very exciting."

Ward also hinted that the filly could remain in training as a four-year-old, adding: "The owners are sportsmen and sportswoman and I would say that as long as she keeps sound, she will carry on racing."

Velasquez said: "It makes my job a lot easier when they do it like that. All I was worried about was her just using up too much energy in the first part of the race. What a feeling, when you ask a horse to run and they respond like that. You feel so comfortable and know they are running as fast as they can.

"It worked out really well; she settled in the first part of the race and when I asked her she responded right away with a great turn of foot - very quick. It was a great feeling. When a horse is travelling so beautifully and responds right away when you ask, you can't get better than that. She's definitely very fast. To come back here for a second time and do what she did today, she's got to be a special horse."

Asked when he found out that he was to ride Lady Aurelia, he replied: "I got off the plane [he was travelling to Ascot to ride Elizabeth Darcy, who runs today in the Windsor Castle Stakes] and was in customs, the phone was ringing and ringing but I couldn't answer it, but as soon as I was out I picked up the phone and that's when I found out I was riding her. For me this is a blessing - not to take anything away from Frankie, he's a good friend of mine and I feel really bad for him."

King's Stand Stakes 2017 Full Result