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King's Stand Stakes: Battaash can conquer the division

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Posted in: Royal Ascot Tips

Timeform preview the King's Stand Stakes, set to take place on the opening day of Royal Ascot 2018, and recommend their best ante-post bets.

The King's Stand Stakes has a habit of stealing the show on the opening day of Royal Ascot, and last year's renewal produced one of the most memorable moments of recent years.


Lady Aurelia ran out a stunning winner that day for Wesley Ward, and she looks set for a mouth-watering rematch with Battaash this term - who she met in the Nunthorpe last season. Neither emerged triumphant from that race for differing reasons, and both arrive here on different trajectories this time around.


Lady Aurelia was caught in the shadows of the post by Marsha in the Nunthorpe last August, but her win in this last season was one of the best performances ever seen over five furlongs - pulverising top-class opponents with her breathtaking speed. She can be forgiven for her disappointing run in the Breeders' Cup, when she didn't seem right, but her defeat on reappearance at Keeneland in April means that she has something to prove this time around.


Battaash was only fourth at York, getting too worked up in the preliminaries to make a meaningful impact that day, but he has gone from strength to strength since, sealing his first Group 1 with a dominant win in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Chantilly last October, before making a winning reappearance in the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock when conceding weight all round.


Both are locked together on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings as it stands, but the momentum seems to be with Battaash, Timeform's joint highest-rated horse in Europe with Cracksman on 136, and he takes preference - though his temperament on a big occasion such as this is a niggling issue.


 

It very much looks a match race for the main honours, but several will be hopeful of taking place honours, including Kachy, who is in the form of his life at the moment. He very nearly took his first pattern race since the Molecomb when just falling short in the Temple Stakes behind Battaash last time, and whilst he is likely to make a bold bid from the front with his speed, Ascot's wide expanse is unlikely to suit and this could prove to be a little too hot.


Australian raider Redkirk Warrior is a fascinating inclusion, putting in a career-best to win a Group 1 at Flemington when last seen in March, though he would perhaps need more to challenge the big two here, whilst Blue Point has a victory over Harry Angel as a three-year-old on his record, and would be a threat if arriving here on a going day. However, the most interesting each-way prospect could well be Mabs Cross, who produced a career best performance to finish fourth in the Temple Stakes last time. She's improving all of the time, and considering that there will be a strong pace to aim at once again here, she could well offer some value each-way at a double figure price.


Recommendation:


Back Battaash at 9/4 in the King's Stand Stakes on Tuesday 19 June
Back Mabs Cross each-way at 20/1 in the King's Stand Stakes on Tuesday 19 June


 
 

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