Map out the winning path at Ascot with French star
Wednesday’s feature race is the Group One Prince of Wales’s Stakes (4.20pm), and this year’s renewal shapes up as one of the highlights of the week on paper.
There’s a French flavour to the contest, with two runners making the trip across the Channel. Jérôme Reynier’s Facteur Cheval returns to Ascot after finishing second in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day last October, but it’s Francis-Henri Graffard’s MAP OF STARS that’s the one I’m most interested in.
He’s already a dual Group winner this season, landing the Prix Exbury at Saint Cloud and Prix d’Harcourt at Longchamp, both over this trip of a mile-and-a-quarter, and the Wathnan-owned colt is now seeking a first Group One win.
On his most recent start, he was narrowly denied that breakthrough success in the Prix Ganay, finishing a close second behind the highly rated Sosie.
Map Of Stars perhaps didn’t have the smoothest of runs through that race as he was switched out from behind rivals in the straight, making his challenge down the outside, while the winner was more prominently ridden.
He still ran with plenty of credit to finish second, staying on strongly and really chasing down the winner in the closing stages.
With a smoother passage here, he should have every chance to reel in the leaders over a trip he clearly sees out well.
The presence of Continuous in the field means that this is unlikely to be a slowly run race, which should suit Map Of Stars and see him finish with a flourish.
The current market leader remains Los Angeles, at around 9/4, and it’s no surprise to see an Aidan O’Brien-trained runner heading the betting.
This trip looks ideal for him, and he’s enjoyed an unbeaten four-year-old campaign so far, with two wins from two starts at the Curragh in May.
Most recently, he contested the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup, edging out Anmaat in the closing stages to win by half-a-length.
Anmaat and trainer Owen Burrows will be hoping to turn the tables on Los Angeles following their earlier clash.
A seasoned performer with nine career wins, Anmaat boasts two Group One victories, including a standout success in the Champion Stakes here at Ascot last October.
However, history isn’t on his side, as no seven-year-old has ever won this race, and although support sees him now as short as 7/2, the trends suggest the Shadwell-owned runner faces a tough task.
It’s also worth noting that Andrew Balding’s filly See The Fire has been supplemented for this race at a cost of £70,000, which suggests connections are confident of her running well and at least coming home in the prize money.
She’s still chasing her first Group One victory after landing the Group Two Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York in May and will need a career-best effort to beat the boys here, but with the weight allowance and a history of fillies winning this race — most recently Love in 2021 — she certainly can’t be ruled out.
This promises to be a fascinating contest, and for me the race looks like it should set up well for Map Of Stars on his first start on British soil.
At the current prices, the Graffard horse makes most appeal, and with odds of 9/2 with Star Sports we can still side with him each-way.
POINTERS WEDNESDAY
Map Of Stars e/w 4.20pm Royal Ascot