Top News

Australia’s champion trainer is targeting another raid on one of Royal Ascot's crown jewels with his latest sprint star. Chris Waller, best known as the trainer of the mighty Winx, captured the King’s Stand Stakes with Nature Strip at the royal meeting in 2022, his first winner at the world famous meeting.

The Aussies have continued to shine in the event, now renamed the King Charles III Stakes, with Asfoora becoming the sixth horse from Down Under to capture the 5f Group 1 contest in 2024. The Henry Dwyer trained mare, who won the Nunthorpe Stakes and Prix de l’Abbaye during last year’s European visit, has stayed in Newmarket over the winter ahead of a third campaign for top honours, likely to include the King Charles.

• French-trained star hurdler Theleme ruled out of Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham

• ‘Very sore’ Harry Cobden ruled out of Cheltenham Festival Trials Day on Saturday

And Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have declared an intention to bring another sprinting mare Lady Of Camelot over for the June extravaganza.

Waller unveiled his own plans for Joliestar, a three time Group 1 winner who captured the Newmarket Handicap down the Flemington straight in March last year and finished fifth behind Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising, the world's best sprinter, in the Everest in October.

"She'll head to the Canterbury Stakes and then the TJ (Smith) and all being well would then be aimed at Ascot," Waller told News Corp

"Her owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay (of Cambridge Stud) are very supportive of taking her over as it would be great for her resume.

"She's at the right age and is a proven Group 1 winner down the straight."