Royal Ascot is a horse racing meeting that is followed around the world. The best horses from across the globe compete in the respective divisions in Flat racing and everyone involved dreams of winning one of the races across the five days.
Here is a look at some of the stars that will be in action this year at the royal meeting.
Inspiral Set to Return in Queen Anne Stakes
With victories in the Group One Coronation Stakes and Prix du Jacques le Marois, Inspiral ended 2022 as one of the leading milers in the sport. She missed out on the opportunity to win a British Classic due to a setback early in the campaign, but she made up for that lost time.
John and Thady Gosden’s runner is the 3/1 favourite in the horse racing latest odds for the Queen Anne Stakes, the opening race of the 2023 Royal Ascot meeting. She is set to take on the Godolphin duo of Modern Games and Native Trail.
The daughter of Frankel will make her seasonal reappearance in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. That outing should ensure she heads to Royal Ascot in peak shape.
Australian Sprinter Coolangatta Entered in King’s Stand Stakes
Australia have had a lot of success in the sprint races at Royal Ascot in recent years. They have a great chance of more glory this year with star filly Coolangatta. The three-year-old is already a two-time Group One winner.
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s runner won at the highest level for the first time last September when she prevailed in the A J Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. She then doubled her Group One tally on her opening appearances of 2023 as she landed the Black Caviar Lightning.
Her trip to Royal Ascot will be her first outing outside of Australia. She will take on Highfield Princess and Tenebrism two horses who had a lot of success in Europe in 2022, and former The Everest winner Nature Strip, who is set to return to the meeting following his victory last year.
English And French Derby Winners Set for Prince of Wales Clash
Last year’s English and French derby winners, Desert Crown and Vadeni respectively, are two of the runners expected to contest the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes this year. Those two horses had excellent three-year-old campaigns and their connections will be hoping they can replicate some of that success in open age company.
Unbeaten colt Desert Crown has not seen a racecourse since he won the 2023 Derby at Epsom. An injury ruled him out of the second half of the 2022 Flat season in Europe. The 1m2f contest at Royal Ascot could mark his return to action.
Vadeni followed up his French Derby victory with success in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. The colt has appeared already this season. He had to settle for fourth place in the Prix Garny at Longchamp.
Royal Ascot 2023 takes place between 20th-24th June. There are a total of 35 races across the meeting at Berkshire-based racecourse in the UK.