International stars set for upcoming Royal Ascot carnival

GODOLPHIN’S international runners both represent winning chances at Royal Ascot this year with the U.S-based Drafted and Australian-trained Holler.

Holler is trained by John O’Shea and although it is entered in the King’s Stand Stakes, it will likely contend for the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes which the great Black Caviar took out in 2012.

Holler will be situated at Charlie Appleby’s Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin’s press officer, James Clarke, believes it deserves a chance at Royal Ascot.

“He’ll be stabled at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket and John O’Shea will be coming over to supervise him when he’s settled in,” Clarke said.

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Holler comes into the race having won the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick with James McDonald in the saddle, who will fly over to partner the three-year-old. It was then only narrowly beaten in the Group 1 William Reid and that form should stack up.

“The William Reid in Melbourne was strong form and he was unlucky to be touched off right on the line,” Clarke said.

“Before that he was a good winner of a group 1 in Sydney and he deserves to take his chance at Royal Ascot.”

Holler ($13 at Sportsbet) is due to land in England on Thursday, the same day as Drafted which will travel across the Atlantic to contest the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes and trainer Eoin Harty is confident about its chances.

“He worked on turf over five furlongs [1000m] at Arlington, and it was a fantastic piece of work,” Harty said.

“He’s straightforward and precocious. We are always on the look-out for horses with potential, and he’s basically ideal for what we have in mind.

“He’s your typical precocious two-year-old. He is fast. He leaves here on Thursday.”

There are quite a few American horses coming to Royal Ascot this season and the popularity of Royal Ascot is spreading across the globe.

“I think people in the States have a much better understanding and appreciation of Royal Ascot these days,” Harty said.

“There has been lots of exposure on TV, and there is more awareness here of the meeting.”

Drafted is currently $6 to win at Bet365.com.au.

Tepin set to go for Royal Ascot bid

There has been speculation whether U.S miler Tepin would take its place at Royal Ascot this year – with controversy surrounding the use of Lasix and the nasal strip, but connections have confirmed it will run later this month.

The mare had no reported issues in a breeze up at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. It ran without Lasix or the nasal strip for the first time and will be shipping for England this week.

Owner Robert Masterson is excited about the Breeders’ Cup Mile winner taking on the best at Royal Ascot.

“We are planning to take the filly to Royal Ascot and run in the Queen Anne Stakes,” Masterson confirmed.

“Right now, all systems are go and everybody is on board.

“She obviously has some things to overcome that are different than the way she is running here, but we would like to go try it and see how she does.”

Tepin is the current $5 favourite at Sportsbet.com.au (better than $4.50 elsewhere) and it heads a field packed full of potential. 2015 Cox Plate entrant Arod is a $15 chance on the same line as Amazing Maria which looks a good value hope.

Japanese champion set to shine

Hong Kong Cup winner A Shin Hikari looked the goods when winning the Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly on Tuesday, its first start in Europe.

The heavy track conditions worried punters prior to the race and one of the world’s best racehorses got out to $6 in the betting. It will now move on towards the Prince of Wales Stakes and although trainer Masaori Sakaguchi was worried about the track conditions in France, the 10-length victory made him feel at ease.

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“He put in a really strong performance today,” Sagaguchi said. “He is used to going straight to the front and that wasn’t the case today. I asked myself if he would resent being led but he ran a beautiful race.

“It was the owner’s choice to come to France. The ground was a big worry but he has done it magnificently. He will now go to England for Royal Ascot.”

The Group 1 Prince of Wales Stakes on June 16 is one of the best fields ever assembled at Royal Ascot. A Shin Hikari is paying a generous price of $3 at Sportsbet which looks extremely good on face value, but the opposition will prove its worth.

Well-fancied in the betting is Time Test ($4.50) and Found at $8. Both horses have good form around top-quality fields, but with all things being equal, the Japanese star A Shin Hikari could put lengths on this field.

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