While Royal Ascot is largely considered to be the pinnacle event of the United Kingdom’s thrilling flat racing season, it is not just on those shores that the iconic meeting is truly appreciated. Royal Ascot is loved by racing fans all across the world, and those lucky enough to own thoroughbreds dream of having a runner at the prestigious Berkshire course.
So much so that several horses are shipped thousands of miles from the likes of the United States, Asia, and even Australia to Ascot each and every year. While making a decent account of themselves in their respective contests and making it home safely is enough for most trainers and owners, there have been plenty of international winners at the meeting in the past — including Aussie horse Nature Strip, who won the King’s Stand Stakes last year.
There will be a good number of horses from outside the UK and Ireland again when the 2023 renewal of Royal Ascot takes place between 20-24 June, so let’s take a look at some of the runners who could upset home-bred talent on their own soil.
Erevann – Queen Anne Stakes
French horses have a good record in the Queen Anne Stakes, with Solow and Tepin winning back-to-back renewals in 2014 and 2015 while Valixir (2005) and Goldikova (2010) have also won the Group 1 contest this century.
With best odds of 7/1 making him the third favourite behind Inspiral and Modern Games for the one-mile race, Erevann has a fantastic chance of landing Jean-Claude Rouget his third Royal Ascot win. The relatively lightly-raced four-year-old has four wins in seven turf contests, with major wins coming in a Group 3 at Chantilly and a Group 2 at Longchamp last season.
He was third of seven runners in the Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on reappearance last month but was sixth of seven runners in his first Group 1 at Longchamp at the end of May.
Jannah Rose – Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes looks set to be a highly competitive race with 1000 Guineas winner Mawj and Irish 1000 Guineas champion Tahiyra leading the betting, but the unbeaten Jannah Rose could prove to be a thorn in the side of both if she can run to the best of her ability at Ascot.
The Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained three-year-old won a Maiden at Chantilly on debut last September and reappeared at Longchamp in April to win the Group 3 Prix Vantaux. Her best run was on her last day, however, winning the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary back at the Paris track.
This will be a step back to a mile for the first time since Jannah Rose won on debut and the manner in which she has kicked on the closing stages to win her last two over 1m1f and 1m2f could mean she needs that additional furlong or two.
Artorius – Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
No matter what the sport, the Australians love a win in England — that was clear when Nature Strip blitzed the field to win the King’s Stand empathically last year. That was a seventh win for the Aussies at Royal Ascot, but it ended a 10-year wait since Black Caviar’s win in 2012.
It’s the race that the Peter Moody-trained legendary sprinter won over a decade ago that perhaps presents the Australians with their best chance of an eighth success, as Artorius is amongst the favourites for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Artorius has raced 16 times already in his career, with three wins. The four-year-old does have seven placings, however, including a respectable close third behind Godolphin pair Creative Force and Naval Crown in this race last year before mustering the same result in the July Cup at Newmarket.
He won the Group 1 Furphy Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on reappearance in March and was fourth back in top-level company last time, but he was just three-quarters of a length behind first. Artorius could be there or thereabouts again at Ascot later this month.
Find the best horse racing tipsters online for Royal Ascot this year n our tipsters section of the website.
