COOLANGATTA (3:40) can waltz to victory in the King's Stand Stakes on Day One of Royal Ascot. Team Maher and Eustace’s raider is tailor-made to be Australia’s latest winner of this Group 1. The filly first announced herself by edging Russian Conquest in the Magic Million at Gold Coast . She ran well again despite hating the heavy ground when third in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. The speedster put in another good shift when filling the same spot in a Moonee Valley Group 2. She broke her duck at Group 1-level when chinning Bella Nipotina in the Moir at the same track. The four-year-old wasn’t disgraced again when fifth in another top-level contest at Flemington. The bay then looked world-class when cosily denying I Wish I Win in the Lightning on her return. The star has been excelling on the gallops since arriving so she can conquer the global sprint elite.
Frankie Dettori can begin his last Royal Ascot by taking the Queen Anne Stakes on INSPIRAL (2:30). Team Gosden’s horse hammered Prosperous Voyage in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket back in 2021. That marked her out as a top 1000 Guineas contender but she had to miss the Classic due to injury. Despite that absence, the filly was still sent off favourite for the Coronation at this meeting last year. And the bay totally defied any doubts about her fitness by absolutely bolting up from Spendarella. However, three-year-old blotted her copybook with a lacklustre second in the Falmouth back at HQ. She soon got back on the rise when outbattling Light Infantry in the Jacques le Marois at Deauville. The star then gave her critics renewed ammunition when flopping in the QEII back here in October. The daughter of Frankel has been given time to recover so she can redeem herself on her comeback.
The Gosdens can double-up with FRANCESCO CLEMENTE (5:35) in the Wolferton Stakes. The colt looked a cracking prospect when crushing Secret State first time out at Newmarket. He then relished stepping up to 1m 2f with a convincing defeat of the useful Ajero at Sandown. The bay improved again when putting Miramichi to the sword on his handicap bow back at HQ. Given time to develop, he was just denied by King Of Conquest in a Goodwood Listed contest. The four-year-old should be primed so he can turn the tables on his conqueror in terrific style.
