Betting
QUEEN ALEXANDRA STAKES: Former Cheltenham runners to reoppose at Royal Ascot
Two previous Prestbury Park contenders who dominated last year’s renewal of the Queen Alexandra Stakes are set to face-off again
Last year’s Queen Alexandra Stakes 1-2 Who Dares Wins and The Grand Visir are set to reface each other in the Royal Ascot finale on Saturday evening.
Alan King’s formerly mentioned son of Jeremy finished fifth in the Pertemps Network Final in 2018 under the now-retired Wayne Hutchinson.
He is also a winner of the Cesarewitch Handicap Trial and a Grade 2 victor over fences, heading back to Berkshire’s Royal Meeting this weekend in a bid to defend his crown partnering Tom Marquand.
Ian Williams’s charge, on the other hand, chased home the previous Pendil Novices’ Chase winner twelve months ago and has flirted in and out with stints over hurdles, including at The November Meeting in 2020.
He finished fourth in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle behind Does He Know, but returned to the flat in May when chasing home Royal Ascot rival Falcon Eight in the Chester Cup.
Running a creditable third in the Vigier Stakes at Paris Longchamp since, he’s now only 1lbs higher than his mark when picking up the silver medal in this contest a year ago.
The race’s podium king, however, is 5lbs better off in the weights for connections.
Last season’s National Hunt Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls is set to be represented in the race, with daughter Megan taking the ride aboard Scaramanga.
The Mastercraftsman gelding was last seen taking a valuable handicap hurdle at Sandown at the Jumps Finale, while April Meeting fourth Table Mountain, who won at Ascot last year, heads for day five for Tom Symonds.
