Aurelia best King's Stand winner this century, says BHA handicapper

Lady Aurelia's victory in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot is the best performance produced in the race this century, according to the BHA.

The American sprinter, who bolted up in the Queen Mary 12 months ago, ran out a commanding winner under John Velazquez, standing in for the sidelined Frankie Dettori.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Lady Aurelia put three lengths between her and last year's winner Profitable with Marsha, who won the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye in October, back in third.

The form of her effort – just outside the track record – is solid reckons BHA handicapper Chris Nash, who rates her victory 3lb superior to recent King's Stand winners Choisir (2003), Miss Andretti (2007) and Scenic Blast (2009), who all achieved a mark of 119.

"The only debate to be had is whether the 122 figure slightly understates her achievement as she took this for predominantly hands and heels riding," Nash wrote on the BHA handicappers' latest blog.

"This already rates as the best performance in this race this century.

"The previous best figure was 119 which was achieved by several winners including Choisir, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast, so Lady Aurelia can certainly be viewed as an outstanding winner.

"Connections are keen to return to these shores for a crack at the Group 1 Nunthorpe at York in August where a rematch with plenty of these rivals will likely be on the cards.

"Remembering that she will be entitled to a 3lb fillies' allowance, if she can reproduce her Ascot figure at York then a colt or gelding would have to run to 125 to match her, and no other horse has achieved anything like that sort of figure over five furlongs so far this season."

The Queen Anne Stakes often produces one of the performances of the meeting and Ribchester's victory last week proved no exception. Richard Fahey's Godolphin colt has been rated 123, 2lb lower than his Lockinge mark, but the best Queen Anne performance since Frankel in 2012.

Gold Cup hero Big Orange was raised 4lb to 121 following his spine-tingling victory over last year's winner Order Of St George, who remains on a mark of 120 after being pipped by a short head in the finish of the week.

King's Stand result