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11 Jun 2020

Japan and Magical jump out in strong Prince of Wales’s field

Japan

A strong field of 12 have been entered for next week’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes on day two of Royal Ascot. The 12 furlong Group 1, the first race in the Middle Distance category of QIPCO British Champions Series, has attracted some star names.

The first names to jump off the entries sheet are that of Magical and Japan, both trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by the Smith, Magnier & Tabor partnership who’s colours have been seen to great effect for many years at the Royal meeting.

Magical has been a superstar filly for the Coolmore operation and was last seen winning on the biggest stage at QIPCO British Champions Day in the QIPCO Champion Stakes last October.

However, the early market-leader is the latter, Japan. The colt showed plenty of promise as a juvenile but the early stages of his three-year-old career were a little bumpy. He did manage to find top gear at this meeting last year in the King Edward VII Stakes and hasn’t looked back since then.

He followed that up with a Group 1 win out in France, before returning to British soil to get the better of Crystal Ocean in a thrilling battle to win the Juddmonte International Stakes. He was then by no means disgraced when finishing fourth on Soft ground in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Other notable entries include the Godolphin pair of Barney Roy and Terrebellum. Barney Roy already has one Royal Ascot win to his name, winning the 2017 St James’s Palace Stakes. Terebellum on the other hand is a very lightly-raced four-year-old who was seen just last weekend winning the Group 2 Betfair Dahlia Stakes comfortably.

With such a classy line-up, a thrilling renewal looks to be in the offing.

Full Entries:

Addeybb, Bangkok, Barney Roy, Fleeting, Fox Tal, Headman, Japan, Lord North, Magical, Magic Wand, Mehdaayih, Terebellum