Mill Stream heads 14 runners in wide-open Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes

The betting suggests that Duke Of York Stakes winner Mill Stream is in pole position for a first Group 1 win in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, but this last of eight QIPCO British Champions Series races at another fabulous Royal Ascot is wide open and none of the 14 runners can be ruled out.

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s four-year-old rose through the handicap ranks last season to win a Group 3 at Deauville, and he has improved again judging from his York win, where he did very well to score from Shouldvebeenaring, Dilligent Harry and Washington Heights in a four-way photo.

Mill Stream forced his nose in front right on the line, having met trouble in running more than once, and he had Art Power, Swingalong and last year’s shock Jubilee winner Khaadem among those further behind.

Willam Buick confirms that the York effort was better than the bare form, while a hopeful Chapple-Hyam reckons Mill Stream is now “more professional and more on it” than last year. A wind operation over the winter might also have helped. 

Buick expects another big run from Mill Stream, and said: “He did well to win I thought. It was a messy race and he should have won by further. Ascot’s going to suit him, and I think the sprint division is open at the moment. If you can mark up his Duke Of York performance he’s in with a shout, definitely.” 

Shouldvebeenaring, beaten just a nose there and by only a neck in the Betfair Sprint Cup last year, is due a change of luck and Richard Hannon feels he can be excused his subsequent sixth behind Mitbaahy, another leading fancy here, in the Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh.

He was back to his best at York. He’s working very well

He said: “I was slightly disappointed with his run in Ireland, but he was over on the far side and out of the race a little bit. He ran a very disappointing race at Newmarket on his second run, but he was back to his best at York. He’s working very well.”

Washington Heights’ trainer Kevin Ryan also fancies his chances. The four-year-old was a 33-1 chance when beating Mill Stream and Mitbaahy on his reappearance in Newmarket’s  Abernant Stakes, but the York run confirmed it was no fluke.

Ryan said: “Washington Heights is in great form and he likes top-of-the-ground. I think he’s come on again from York, where I thought he was a little bit unlucky. He just got a bit lonely after making his move a shade early, so we’ll hang on to him a bit on Saturday.”

Karl Burke believes his good filly Swingalong is better than she showed at York too and said: “She did really well through the winter and we probably just didn’t have her fit enough. She’s improved a lot fitness-wise and sharpened up for her run. She’s in great form and loves Ascot.”

Mitbaahy changed hands at the end of last year and is doing well for Charlie Hills and owner Fitri Hay, his last-to-first win from a decent field in the Greenlands having been eye-catching to say the least. Jamie Spencer has chosen him in preference to the same connections’ Khaadem, who won this in similarly dramatic style at 80-1 a year ago but hasn’t reproduced the form.

Art Power took a bump inside the final furlong when fourth in the Greenlands. His Ascot record bears close inspection and includes a 40-1 Group 1 win over Kinross on soft ground in last October’s QIPCO British Champions Sprint.

Kinross ideally needs that ground over six furlongs and Ralph Beckett will be among those praying for a thunderstorm. He said: “Kinross is in good form and he’s ready to run. He ran a bit fresh and saw a bit too much daylight when he was seventh a year ago, so we’ll be holding on to him longer and riding him to finish. Hopefully he’ll be competitive, but it’s a difficult one as it’s really all about the second half of the year.”

Shartash, now racing for Archie Watson and carrying the Wathnan silks, is a bit of an unknown quantity in this grade, but he’s not one to underestimate. Jockey James Doyle said: “He was a really good two-year-old in Ireland and then just got lost at three, as three-year-old sprinters sometimes do. The reports on him are pretty good and Archie said he flew in his last piece of work. He’s a sporting chance in what looks an open race.”

Believing, second only to Big Evs among the far side group in Tuesday’s King Charles III Stakes, makes a quick reappearance along with Vadream, who was further behind.

Ryan Moore is an eye-catching booking for Victoria Cup winner The Wizard Of Eye, a stable-mate of Vadream who hasn’t raced over a trip this short since he was two. Jumby, down the field there, is another who generally appreciates further.

Quinault had a narrow Newmarket handicap verdict over Mill Stream among his remarkable seven wins last year, but he was receiving plenty of weight.