Group One Platinum Jubilee Stakes Guide 2022

After being tried over longer trips, Glen Shiel really found his feet in sprints. Winning a handicap before going on to win a group 3 and finally the 2020 British Champion Sprint Stakes.

He didn’t have the same level of success last season. The ultimate target for the season likely being to defend his British Champion Sprint crown but he found Naval Crown too much to handle and had to settle for 2nd.

His form has been lacklustre this season. Being beaten twice by Brad The Brief. In a conditions race and a group 2 at the Curragh. He’s best on soft ground and is unlikely to get that here.

A highly experienced 6 year old, Emaraaty Ana put in his best runs of his career last season.

Finishing a decent 2nd to Winter Power in the Nunthorpe at York, he then just managed to get the better of the impressive Starman in the Sprint Cup Stakes to nail a group 1 win.

Not disgraced at the Breeder’s Cup meeting behind Golden Pal. However he’s been well beaten in his most recent outings in Meydan over 6 furlongs. Only beating a single rival home each time.

He’s shown he can perform at this level but needs to leave his recent form well behind.

Andrew Balding is opting to drop this gelding back in trip for this race.

Mainly seen over 7 furlongs to a mile throughout his career, Happy Power had a great 2020 that saw him win a conditions race, a group 3 and a group 2. All the wins coming over 7 furlongs.

Unable to show the pace needed in a big 6 furlong race, he stepped up in trip last year but found a mile to taxing of his stamina.

He failed to win all of last season but finally got his head back in front at Leicester recently when winning a listed race over 7 furlongs.

This drop in trip and jump up in grade is likely to expose him again.

Wining a listed sprint as a 3 year old for Jeremy Noseda, Garrus then made the switch to be in the care of Charles Hills.
Unable to win in deep group races, a gelding operation had the desired effect and saw him win a conditions race over the minimum trip well.

Just denied in handicap company, he again struggled in deeper waters there after until scoring a group 3 over in France.

He’s not won since but shaped well since but went agonisingly close in a group 3 at Newmarket.

He needs to majorly step up to get involved here.

No stranger to success, Gustavus Weston scored a group 3 race over 6 furlongs at the Curragh back in 2019 and didn’t win again until winning at the same venue last year.

Showing a fondness for the Curragh, he picked up another race there last summer but struggled in group 1 company there.

This season he hasn’t had the same level of form. Being beaten over 5 and 6 furlongs in listed and group company.
Out of form and not likely to be group 1 material.

Not showing much as a 2 year old, Great Ambassador only managed to break his maiden on his fifth outing of the season.

Gelded before his 3 year old campaign he failed to get involved in handicap races over a mile and found himself moving to the care of Ed Walker for last season.

Dropped in trip, he won a handicap well over 6 furlongs but couldn’t scored again off his revised mark. Eventually scoring another handicap and a listed race, he just failed on his last outing to defy a mark of 106.

This is a big step up in grade and he’ll have to improve bundles for his first outing of the season.

Rising the ranks rapidly last season, King’s Lynn scored a listed race narrowly over 5 furlongs before running well in the King’s Stand at this meeting last year.

Meeting trouble in running he turned out only 4 days later and emerged as favourite for the Wokingham Stakes. Only to find troubled passage again and only able to secure 3rd.

He didn’t manage to win again until dropping to listed level and scoring well at Doncaster on soft ground.

He’s returned in fine form this season. Winning a group 2 at Haydock over the minimum trip and again running a decent race in the King’s Stand only a few days ago. 6 furlongs looks more his trip if he can back up so soon.

Scoring twice as a juvenile, Double Or Bubble came back at 3 to win a handicap before going close in a listed race behind Highfield Princess over 7 furlongs.

Dropped back to 6 furlongs saw her get her head back in front and gain some black type for herself. Off the back of that however, group company over 7 furlongs just seemed too much. Despite a brace of decent 2nd places.

Returning over 6 furlongs this season saw her narrowly edge out Garrus to win a group 3 at Newmarket. Much more will be required of her here however.

Despite scoring over a mile in listed company in late November of 2020, Kinross really found his trip over 7 furlongs last year.

After being gelded he managed to score a group 3 and a group 2 handily as a 4 year old. Scalping Creative Force in the latter.

He’s not been able to win since however. Being outclassed in group 1 company and just being held late by Pogo recently over 7 furlongs at Haydock.

Likely to be outpaced over this shorter trip.

An easy winner of a couple of big conditions races at 2 years old, Happy Romance managed to get the better of Alcohol Free to score a group 3.

However, she saw that form reversed at group 1 level when the pair met at the end of the season.

Winning a couple of decent sprints last season, she managed to pick up a listed race and a group 3 both over 6 furlongs.

She was a little exposed when upped in grade and didn’t managed to make her mark in a couple of group 1 races.

She’s been running over in the Middle East this season and was last seen coming a remote 2nd to A Case Of You at Meydan.

A replication of that form could see her get involved.

This colt showed some smart form as a 3 year old on the all weather to win a maiden and a novice race. Narrowly denied in handicap company by Rohaan, he made amends by winning a conditions race over 6 furlongs.

Upped in grade off the back of that, he just failed in group 3 company but ran well to be placed 3rd and 2nd.

Well beaten here at Ascot on his last outing of the season, he shaped well on seasonal comeback to be a narrow 2nd in a listed race.

A lot more will be needed here however.

No stranger to winning at the Royal Meeting, Creative Force had a marvellous 3 year old campaign tat went from strength to strength.

Scoring in handicaps easily, he eventually won the Jersey stakes here at Ascot and rounded out the season with a brilliant victory in the British Champion Sprint Stakes.

Well beaten in Meydan for a big sprint won by A Case Of You, only beating two rivals home.

He’s shown he acts very well at Ascot and a strongly run 6 furlongs will suit him.

A lightly raced 4 year old, Sacred showed some smart form as a 2 year old for William Haggas.

Going close in the Queen Mary Stakes behind Campanelle and filling the 2nd place spot twice more in other group 2 races.

Moved up in trip last year, she scored a group 3 over 7 furlongs before shaping like a non stayer in the 1000 Guineas. Her last outing came last August when she scored a group 2 at Newbury back over 7 furlongs.

She’ll have to show some more pace to drop in trip and needs to be fully tuned to be involved here after over 300 days off the track.

Wesley Ward has had a torrid time of things this week but Campanelle has already proven herself at Ascot.
Winning the Commonwealth Cup here last year, she got the decision in the steward’s room.

She failed to back that up in France and at the Breeders’ Cup afterwards but ran a screamer on her comeback to score at listed level handily at Keeneland.

Ward’s horses have struggled this week but this filly has proven she can act over here and can handle Ascot. Another big run primed.

Graduating from handicap ranks, Highfield Princess kept defying the assessor and scored in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at this meeting last year.

She managed to score a listed race over 7 furlongs after that but she struggled to find her feet in deeper races.

She struggled to regain the winning thread again until scoring a fillies conditions race at Newcastle on the all weather narrowly. She was last seen dropping back to 6 furlongs and bolting up at York to win a group 2.
She looks like she can have a say at this level after an outstanding effort last time out.

Winning a decent maiden as a 2 year old, Naval Crown took a major step forward at 3 to win a listed race in Meydan over a mile before before a good 4th in the 2000 Guineas.

Beaten by owner mate Creative Force in the Jersey Stakes here last year, he tasted success again in Meydan in January of this year. Again over 7 furlongs.

Last seen running a fine race behind A Case Of You in Meydan, he looked outpaced but ran on strongly.

Likely to find this trip too sharp again.

A handy two year old who scored a novice over 6 furlongs before winning a group 2 at York with bundles in hand. Found out at group 1 level after that he was out away for the winter.

Only seen twice last season, he failed to win in either of his outings but ran a fine race to be 3rd to Creative Force in the British Champion Sprint Stakes.

Beaten by Highfield Princess on seasonal comeback, he’ll have to come on plenty for that to get involved but isn’t without a chance based on his course and distance run last autumn.

Despite looking a smart 2 year old Ventura Diamond hasn’t managed to carry her form over to subsequent seasons.

Winning a couple of low level races as a juvenile she then managed to score a listed race on her last outing of the season.
Her form has dipped off since.

She was unable to stay 7 furlongs on her two attempts over that trip and found group and listed company finding her out over 6 furlongs since.

Her comeback run this season saw her come last in a listed event for fillies over 6 furlongs and it’s near impossible to make any case for her here.

Only seen seven times in her career, Umm Kulthum scored a maiden over the minimum trip at 2 years old before winning a group 3 against her own sex smartly.

Narrowly denied in a group 1, at the end of the season, she then only made two outings as a 3 year old. Being well beaten over 7 furlongs before being held by Rohaan in a group 2 at Haydock.

A decent comeback run as a 4 year old saw her score over 6 furlongs to score a listed race against her own sex. She needs to show much more than that to have a chance here.

Roger Varian’s colt quickly rose through the ranks as a 3 year old last season. Going from novice victories to handicap wins before being beaten a nose by Rohaan in a group 2.

Demoted to 2nd in the Commonwealth Cup despite being first past the post, he then went on to fill the places in some decent sprints. Notably coming 3rd in the Nunthorpe.

Unable to get involved in the British Champion Sprint Stakes at the end of the season, he’s failed to recapture his form this year.

Being well beaten on reappearance over 6 furlongs and not being able to get up over 5 furlongs in listed company last time out.

He’s got course form but tends to be at his best with some cut in the ground.

A superstar sprinter, A Case Of You has already scooped some big prizes for connections despite only being 4 years old.

Despite finding a few sprints in group company slightly too taxing he ran well to be 2nd in a group 1 at the Curragh before winning the Abbaye at Paris on deep ground.

Scoring a big pot over in Meydan back in March, he stepped up to 6 furlongs and blew the opposition away with a lethal performance.

Unable to win a group 2 since then, it wouldn’t be wise to write him off.

After being mainly seen over 7 furlongs last season, Run To Freedom scored in handicap company off a mark of 88.

Raises from the handicapper saw him well held but a drop to 6 furlongs drew out some improvement for I’m to win again.

A seasonal comeback in a group 3 saw him well outclassed but a drop to listed level last time out saw another victory over 6 furlongs.

Likely to be left wanting for quality in this higher grade.

Coming over from Australia for Chris Waller, Home Affairs looks to emulate the success of stablemate Nature Strip at Ascot.

Getting the better of his stablemate over 5 furlongs at Flemington he just got the better of that rival by a head. That now looking strong form and coming off the back of a lethal group 1 win over 6 furlongs.

Last seen struggling in a handicap over 6 furlongs, he’s been given time to freshen up and has smart form to build upon.

Coming over from Japan, Grenadier Guards has scored over a mile in his home country to record group 1 honours.

Mainly kept at 7 to 8 furlongs, he scored again on Christmas Day last year over 7 furlongs in taking fashion to secure a group 2.

Last seen dropped to 6 furlongs for his most recent outing he looked well outpaced and only managed to come home in 12th of 18 runners.

He’ll be hoping there’s a stiff pace and he can use his stamina to capitalise late on.

Another Australian representative, Artorious has been tried at a variety of trips in his career.

Winning a group 1 as a 2 year old over 6 furlongs, he struggled for form last season and bounced between trips to try recapture his form. Losing over 6 furlongs to a mile.

His two outings this season have left something to be desired too. Losing over 5.5 furlongs and 6 furlongs in deep races. He’ll need to improve upon that to play a part here.

A good juvenile campaign saw Alcohol Free win the Cheveley Park Stakes well to get the better of Miss Amulet.

Taken up in trip for her 3 year old season, she ran great races to go close in the 1000 Guineas before winning the Coronation Stakes at this meeting last year.

Despite being narrowly beaten in the Falmouth Stakes she bounced right back to win the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Her form has tailed off since however. She didn’t stay 10 furlongs in the Juddmonte International and couldn’t live with Baaeed in the Queen Elizabeth II.

She drops majorly in trip here after finding Baaeed too hot to handle again in the Lockinge. It’s uncertain wether 6 furlongs is her trip.

A previous course and distance winner, Vadream only scored once last season when winning a group 3 here at Ascot to being King’s Lynn with a bit in hand on soft ground.

Sent for the British Champion Sprint Stakes off the back of that success she ran well enough to be 5th behind Creative Force. Facing some traffic in running but running on well when seeing daylight.

Her seasonal comeback left plenty to be desired as she found herself well held by Highfield Princess. Being well beaten by 10.5 lengths.

She’ll have to come on plenty for that but she has scored over course and distance before.