Waller bids for sprint double with Home Affairs

PA Sport Reporters
June 16, 2022 9:57 am

Stablemate Nature Strip won Tuesday’s King’s Stand.

Chris Waller will bid to make it a Royal Ascot sprint double as his Home Affairs leads a bumper 27 declarations for Saturday’s Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

Stablemate Nature Strip blasted his rivals in Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes over five furlongs and Home Affairs is favourite to secure six-furlong honours having won two Group Ones so far, including when beating his fellow Waller inmate earlier in the year.

Nature Strip was entered for the Platinum Jubilee but connections opted not to double up and he was the only absentee from 28 contenders at the five-day stage.

Campanelle goes for a third Royal Ascot victory (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The Wesley Ward-trained Camapanelle leads the opposition as she bids for a third Royal Ascot victory following her 2020 Queen Mary Stakes success and last year’s controversial Commonwealth Cup verdict.

She finished a head behind Dragon Symbol that day but was given the race in the stewards’ room after significant interference in the final furlong.

Dragon Symbol, who was trained by Archie Watson then and is now with Roger Varian, will be given the chance to avenge that defeat here.

There is another Australian challenger in Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Artorius with Japanese runner Grenadier Guards adding an extra international element for Mitsumasa Nakauchida.

Champions Sprint winner Creative Force, Duke of York Stakes first and third Highfield Princess and Minzaal, plus A Case Of You and Sacred are also towards the fore.

Hurricane Lane returns in the Hardwicke Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

Hurricane Lane makes his eagerly-anticipated return in the Hardwicke Stakes.

Winner of the Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger in an exceptional three-year-old campaign for Charlie Appleby last year, Hurricane Lane finished third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his final run in 2021.

Chester winner Solid Stone, who was supplemented, represents Sir Michael Stoute with Away He Goes, Broome, Mostahdaf, Living Legend, Third Realm and Layfayette completing the eight-strong field.

Noble Truth runs in the Jersey Stakes (Tim Goode/PA)

Appleby also holds a favourite’s chance in the Jersey Stakes via King Charles II Stakes winner Noble Truth, with Monaadah, who is unbeaten in three runs for Saeed bin Suroor another leading fancy.

The latter runs in the Shadwell colours and Alflaila is a strong second string for the owner, while Star Girls Aalmal is a rare Royal meeting runner for Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Champion Hurdle victor Honeysuckle and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard.

Leopardstown maiden winner Alfred Munnings is Aidan O’Brien’s sole representative in the Chesham Stakes, while John and Thady Gosden mount a three-strong challenge via Faisal Road, Alzahir and One World.

Crypto Force, who changed hands for GBP 900,000 on Monday, is another major contender in the seven-furlong Listed prize.

Rohaan will try to double up (Steven Paston/PA)

Last year’s Wokingham Stakes winner Rohaan tops a maximum field of 28 in the handicap highlight, for which the James Fanshawe-trained Fresh is well fancied after just making the cut.

The Gosdens’ Aldous Huxley is top weight for the Golden Gate Stakes and he is one of four in the Godolphin colours along with stablemate Honiton, plus Appleby’s pair of Blue Trail and Falling Shadow.

Trueshan, who missed his Gold Cup engagement due to fast ground, has been declared for the closing Queen Alexandra Stakes.

Alan King’s charge will shoulder top weight in the near two-mile-six-furlong closer, although rain would have to arrive for him to take his chance.