Royal Ascot: Classic Causeway set to fly the flag for US while Hong Kong could have first runner since 2016

A rare US runner in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and a first representation since 2016 from Hong Kong could be among the international highlights at Royal Ascot this summer.

Entries for the meeting’s eight Group 1 races were revealed on Wednesday and included Classic Causeway, who beat the Charlie Appleby-trained Nations Pride in last year’s Belmont Derby and who is earmarked for the Prince of Wales’s.

His trainer Kenny McPeek is perhaps best known in Britain for attempting to win the 2017 Oaks with Daddys Lil Darling, who was spooked by thunder and lightning and bolted to post, forcing Olivier Peslier to bale out of the saddle.

He said: "Classic Causeway had a nice run first time up this year on the dirt at Oaklawn. Then we came back for the Oaklawn Handicap and he was off the board, so we have decided to switch back to the turf. 

"He is going for a prep race in Kentucky on June 3 in the Arlington Stakes and, if he runs well there, we will point him towards the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

"I think the turf is his preferred surface but equally he is a horse who has to have the tactics his own way. If he has time to breathe on the front, he can be very tough to catch, as he showed in the Belmont Derby last year.”

McPeek's US counterpart Wesley Ward will also have an interest in the event, which takes place from June 20-24, while there will be a significant presence from Australia as well, but no horse from Hong Kong has competed at the annual highlight since 2016.

That could change via Wellington, who is entered in the King's Stand and Platinum Jubilee Stakes.

He won at the highest level under Ryan Moore in December's Longines Hong Kong Sprint but has since found the brilliant Lucky Sweynesse too sharp.

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said: "We are very pleased to see entries for Royal Ascot 2023 from across the world including Group 1 winners from Britain, Ireland, France, the USA, Australia and Hong Kong.

“It is particularly exciting to see so many strong entries from Australia, including the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes winner Coolangatta, who looks set to try to follow Nature Strip’s victory in the King’s Stand Stakes. It’s also exciting to see Artorius is on track to try to go two better than when third in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes last year. 

“Wesley Ward again has a strong team headed by Love Reigns and Twilight Gleaming along with the two-year-olds while it will also be great to see Breeders’ Cup winner Caravel represent America.”

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