Savage looking forward to Bay Bridge Return in Prince Of Wales’s Stakes

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes on Wednesday is shaping up into the race of the week at Royal Ascot with Bay Bridge, Adayar and My Prospero ready to replay their thrilling QIPCO Champion Stakes finish over the same course and distance last year.

Less than a length separated the three, with horse of the year Baaeed behind in fourth, in last October’s climax to the Middle Distance category of the QIPCO British Champions Series, which features both Ascot races.

Bay Bridge had been beaten into second in last year’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Meeting to leave his trainer Sir Michael Stoute unusually without a winner in the week.

After disappointing in the Coral-Eclipse the following month, a typically patient approach from his trainer produced the race of his life, as Bay Bridge edged out the 2021 Derby winner Adayar in October at QIPCO British Champions Day.

James Savage, Stoute’s assistant trainer, summed up his feelings about the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

“It is what we expected, a very strong renewal. The mile and a quarter division is as strong as I have seen.”

Bay Bridge had to give best by half a length to another reopposing rival Luxembourg in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh last month, but Savage hopes Bay Bridge can gain revenge.

He added: “He took a step forward for every run last year. He took a massive step forward from France (reappearance third in the Group 1 Ganay) to The Curragh, running a big race behind Luxembourg, and we expect him to improve again at Ascot. He has trained very well.

“We are still very respectful of the opposition and if Ascot gets the forecast rain that would be positive, but he showed he is effective on good ground at The Curragh.”

Adayar showed his well-being with a warm-up win in the rescheduled Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket last month. His rider William Buick said: “He won well at Newmarket but was always going to improve for that first run.

“He seems in great form and he has shown a liking for the track with his King George win and running well in the QIPCO Champion Stakes. He has got plenty of speed for a Derby winner for the ten furlongs. It’s a tough race as it always is.”

My Prospero was getting 4lb as the three-year-old against his elders in the QIPCO Champion Stakes but has no such advantage this time.

The mile of the Lockinge on his return proved too sharp but he was staying on again in fourth to delight his rider Tom Marquand.

He said: “He had that run to open him up and, as we expected, the mile was a bit sharp so going back up to ten furlongs plays to his strengths.

“It’s a hot renewal – probably the race of the week and fantastic for racing but frustrating for us.

“Looking back at the run in the QIPCO Champion Stakes, the change in tempo at the bend caught us out a bit. Being beaten so narrowly after that you hope you’ve got a good chance of beating them next time.

“It certainly feels like we haven’t had a true chance to show what is exactly there yet, which makes it pretty exciting.”

Luxembourg delighted trainer Aidan O’Brien with the style of his win against Bay Bridge last month for his third Group 1 success as he made all the running, having been previously mostly held up, including when winning last year’s Irish Champion Stakes.

O’Brien said: “I’m happy with him and he progressed nicely at The Curragh from the first day to the second. I was delighted he made the running which leaves him versatile as to tactics in the race.”

O’Brien is seeking his fifth win in the race as is Stoute and going into the five-day meeting he was just one winners (82-81) behind the Newmarket trainer in the all-time winners’ list at the Royal Meeting.

Mostahdaf, the £750,000 winner of the Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia in February, and American challenger Classic Causeway complete the field.