Royal Ascot is one of the leading sporting events of the year. The Flat meeting in the UK attracts the best thoroughbreds from around the world, including South Africa, as they chase lucrative prizes across the five-day meeting.
Here is a look at some of the highlights of the event in 2022.
Golden Pal – King’s Stand
US-trained colt Golden Pal established himself as one of the fastest horses on the planet when he scored in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at the Breeders’ Cup Meeting at Del Mar last November.
Golden Pal is the ante-post for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot this year. He appeared at the meeting in 2020 but had to settle for second place in the Norfolk Stakes. Wesley Ward’s runner is now a much better horse than the one who appeared at the meeting two years ago.
The four-year-old is expected to be a popular favourite for the 5f contest on day one, especially after his success on his seasonal reappearance at Keeneland. He can be backed at 5/2 with Sport Nation, which is ranked as the best new horse racing betting site with SBO. From this platform, you can find the top sites with welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions. They have a comprehensive guide that covers everything you could possibly want to know about horse racing betting.
The leading challengers to Golden Pal in the sprint race are likely to be from Nature Strip and A Case Of You, according to the betting. They are 11/2 and 8/1 respectively in the ante-post market for the race.
Trueshan – Ascot Gold Cup
Trueshan has been the most consistent horse in the Long Distance Series over the last 12 months. Alan King’s runner has won his last four races on the track, including the Group One Goodwood Cup and Prix du Cadran.
Unfortunately for his connections, the ground just went against the six-year-old last summer, so he had to miss the Ascot Gold Cup. They will be hoping he gains compensation this June when he lines up in the 2m4f contest.
King will be wishing for some rain across Royal Ascot week. His horse enjoys some cut into the ground. He has already featured once this season. The talented stayer prevailed in a Listed contest at Nottingham where he had too much class for his rivals.
Trueshan is the 3/1 favourite with the bookmakers for the 2022 Ascot Gold Cup. He would be a very popular winner if he were to prevail in what is one of the sports highlights of the year in the UK.
Baaeed – Queen Anne
Last season, Baaeed proved himself to be the leading miler in Europe. He won the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, both of which were Group One races.
The unbeaten colt beat rival Palace Pier on British Champions Day, getting the better of the five-time Group One winner by a neck, as covered in-depth by The Yorkshire Post. He ended 2021 as the world’s joint-best miler. If he lines up at Royal Ascot in June, it will be his first appearance at the meeting.
Haggas has suggested the four-year-old is set to begin the season in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. He is then likely to appear in the opening race of Royal Ascot in the Queen Anne Stakes. It is no surprise he is the warm favourite at 11/10 for that 1m contest.
Nature Strip – Platinum Jubilee Stakes
Australia have sent across some very good sprinters to Royal Ascot over the last three decades. The latest star from Down Under who is set to appear at the meeting is Nature Strip.
His regular jockey James McDonald has described the horse as a ‘freak’. The 14-time winner recently scored in the Group One T J Smith Stakes at Randwick by just over three lengths. That race took place over 6f and he was very impressive.
The Australian sprinter has an entry in both the King’s Stand Stakes and Platinum Jubilee Stakes. The latter is most likely to be his number one target, as it takes place over 6f, his preferred distance.
Nature Strip won the world’s richest turf race last year when he prevailed in the Everest. If successful, he will join the likes of Choisir, Takeover Target and Black Caviar who have all been successful from Australia in one of the two major sprint races at Royal Ascot.
The 2022 royal meeting is scheduled between 14th and 18th June. A total of 35 races is set to take place across the five days.
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